Global Navigation Satellite Systems and e-Navigation

Hosted by Maritime Hydrographic Directorate of Romania (MHD) at Dacia Sud Hotel premises in Mamaia, Constanta, Romania (14 to 18 September 2026).






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Course Overview

Scope and objective

Provides AtoN and VTS managers, port and terminal administrations, related industry and other safety of navigation stakeholders requiring a solid understanding of GNSS, resilient PNT, digitalisation of maritime services and the e-navigation concept.

Participants will be able to explain GNSS development, other PNT sources, limitations and resilience of these systems and its impact on e-navigation to their organisations.

Format, date and location

4-day classroom course and a field technical visit. Maximum 50 participants. Wi-Fi and laptop access required.

Constanța, Romania

14 to 18 September 2026


Teaching Modules

1

Background

Inception, adoption, and development of the e-navigation concept.

2

ENC, ECDIS and the S-100, S-200 Series Product Specification

Valid data required to support e-navigation.

3

Information systems

Existing and developing systems improving shore-to-ship, ship-to-shore and ship-to-ship information flow.

4

Global Navigation Satellite Systems

GNSS principles and potential vulnerabilities.

5

Position, Navigation and Timing

Why PNT is essential to safety of navigation and in line with e-navigation.

Our Expert Faculty

Younghoon Han

KRISO, South Korea

Resilient PNT systems specialist (eLoran, R-Mode) and lead developer of the S-200 PNT product specification within IALA ENG.

Nikolaos Vastardis

GLA Research & Development, UK

CEng Principal Engineer leading the GRAD Digital Services theme — covering e-Navigation, IHO S-100, IEC SECOM, MCP and VDES.

Diana Ștefănescu

Romanian Maritime Hydrographic Directorate

Doctor in Geography with expertise in marine data analysis and Electronic Navigational Chart production. Serving as a Nautical Cartographer, she contributes to safer navigation through advanced digital charting and hydrographic services.

Stefan Pielmeier

Teledyne FLIR Transpondertech

Internationally recognised AIS and VDES expert, chair of the IALA DTEC Communications WG, and former CTO of Sternula, where he pioneered VDE-SAT projects.

Cornelia Urdea

Romanian Maritime Hydrographic Directorate

Nautical Cartographer – FIG/IHO/ICA Category B
Marine Geospatial Data Assessment and Nautical Cartography Department

Jan-Hendrik Oltmann

German Federal Waterways & Shipping Agency

Senior strategic adviser with deep expertise in AIS, IMO e-Navigation strategy, and harmonised maritime data architectures and IMT technologies.

Sewoong OH

KRISO, South Korea

Principal Research Engineer leading S-100 testbed projects, former chair of the IALA S-201 Task Group, and architect of Korea's AtoN information system.

Radian Trufașu

Romanian Maritime Hydrographic Directorate

Lieutenant Commander and FIG/IHO/ICA Category B certified expert in nautical cartography, geospatial data, and international hydrographic cooperation.

José Luis Martín

European Satellite Service Provider (ESSP), Spain

MSc Aeronautical Engineer and GNSS specialist with 15+ years of experience in aerospace, ATM and satellite navigation. At ESSP, he drives EGNOS/SBAS maritime service development and supports IALA in advancing resilient PNT solutions for the maritime sector

Thomas Christensen

Digital Maritime Consultancy

CEO and maritime digitalisation leader, chair of the MCP Consortium General WG, and former Project Manager for the EfficienSea 2 project at the Danish Maritime Authority.

Eduardo Díaz

European GNSS Service Centre (GSC), Spain

Galileo User Services Expert at GSC, a facility of Galileo, where EUSPA is the service provider. GNSS engineer. Member of maritime community and IALA DTEC and ENG committees.

Eivind Mong

Canadian Coast Guard, Canada

Senior Adviser for e-Navigation and works on implementing e-Navigation solutions in Canada. The chair for the IHO Nautical Information Provision Working Group and leads the S-124 Project Team of the World Wide Navigational Warning Service Sub-Committee.

Olli Soininen

Fintraffic VTS, Finland

Head of Programs with 20+ years in maritime systems, leading digital transformation across VTS, Maritime Single Window, Just-in-Time, and S-100 implementation.

Ramin Miraftabi

Fintraffic VTS, Finland

Senior Consultant supporting Fintraffic in its digital transformation towards e-Navigation with strong expertise in XML-based data exchange and cybersecurity. He is involved in the MCP framework, IEC TC80, technical standards for maritime digital services, SECOM, S-421, and ECDIS testing.

Julius Moeller

Australian Maritime Safety Authority, Australia

Senior Advisor for Digitalisation and Communication Systems at AMSA, specializing in maritime digitalisation, cybersecurity, and communications. He contributes to S-100, MCP, and SECOM developments supporting safe navigation.

Karel Callewaert

European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), Czech Republic

Experienced space consultant supporting EUSPA’s Market, Downstream and Innovation (MDI) department on the use of downstream space applications (GNSS, Earth Observation and secure SATCOM) in the field of Maritime and Inland Waterways.

Stefan Gewies

German Aerospace Center (DLR), Germany

Head of the Maritime Services Working Group and is a recognized specialist in terrestrial navigation systems, particularly R-Mode. Vice-Chair of the IALA ENG Radionavigation WG. His expertise covers PNT fundamentals, the evolution of navigation systems, alternative PNT sources, and approaches to enhancing navigation resilience in challenging operational environments.

Florin Mistrapau

GMV, Romania

Head of Consultancy and Advanced Navigation Solutions Section with over 12 years of experience in the Space sector. He specialises in resilient navigation and alternative PNT technologies with a focus on maritime operations. His work combines, among others, GNSS, VDES, and integrity concepts. Member of IALA ENG committee.

Logistics and programme

Hotel Dacia Sud, 900001 Constanța, Rumanía

The training will be held at Hotel Dacia Sud. Participants are invited to stay at the venue hotel or make their own accommodation arrangements at a nearby hotel.

Due to the location of the seminar venue, we obtained special rates at Dacia Sud Hotel (4 stars) and we recommend you to book your stay here (by emailing to:[email protected], [email protected]). Participants are encouraged to make the reservations as soon as possible but not later than 20th of August.

The special room prices negotiated for this hotel are:

Single room – 350 lei/night (aprox. 75 euros/night) - breakfast included for 1 pers.

Double room - 400 lei/night (aprox. 85 euros/night) - breakfast included for max. 2 pers.

When booking the room, you must mention that you are coming for the IALA training hosted by the Maritime Hydrographic Directorate of Romania to benefit the special rates.

For a better coordination, please “cc” [email protected] when you make the reservation at the hotel.


File upload

Programme v6.pdf

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Transport Arrangements

Airports
Participants may arrive either:

  1. Via Mihail Kogălniceanu International Airport (CND), the nearest international airport serving Constanța and the Black Sea region, or
  1. Via Henri Coandă International Airport (OTP) in Bucharest.

OTP airport is approximately 240 km from Constanța. Several options are detailed in the next section:


Travel details

Ensuring your smooth arrival and comfortable stay for the IALA Level L 1.4 GNSS and e-Navigation Seminar.

From Bucharest Henri Coandă Airport (OTP)

OTP is approximately 240 km from Constanța. Several options are available:

  • Trains: Accessible from the airport train station, with an exchange at Bucharest North. Book tickets online via cfrcalatori.ro/en/.
  • Civil Transport Companies: Direct transfers to Constanța hotels, costing around 30-50 EUR. Companies like Kirvad, ALT Transport, and Direct Airport offer regular services. Reservations and payments can be made through autogari.ro or individual company websites. Send flight details to the POC if assistance is needed.
  • Car Rental: Major agencies like Europcar, Avis, Hertz, Sixt, and Rentalcars are available at the airport. Consider potential traffic in Constanța.

From Mihail Kogălniceanu Airport (CND)

CND is a smaller airport located near Constanța (approx. 25 km), with fewer direct flights, often connecting via Istanbul.

  • Ride-Sharing: Bolt or Uber are recommended for travel to Constanța from CND.
  • Civil Transport Companies: Similar services to those from OTP are also available.

Inner-City Travel in Constanța

  • Taxis: Readily available, with fares displayed on the car exterior.
  • Public Transportation: An affordable option covering most of the city.
  • Ride-Sharing: Bolt or Uber apps provide a reliable alternative.