GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM INTERFACE. Worked an interface for workboats, in which the captain input the boat position, and additional positions were gleaned from satellite transmission position data, having these data transmitted to the shore office by satellite, and imported into a database in the office. There, another application automatically converted the data to a format suitable for display in MapInfo, including not only position data, but also additional data on barges, such as cargo and load status.

Results: The office is now able to see on a computer map the exact position of each towboat and each barge, and can click on any depiction to see the current cargo, activity status, and load status.