National Marine Electronics Association Explained

The National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) is a US-based marine electronics trade organization setting standards of communication between marine electronics.^[1]

Standards

NMEA OneNet

NMEA OneNet is a latest standard^[2] for maritime data networking based on 802.3 Ethernet, and will complement existing onboard NMEA 2000 networks by allowing for high-capacity data transfers.^{[3] [4] [5] [6]}

Current maritime data networks have bandwidth capacities of less than 1 Mbit/s. Building on Ethernet, OneNet allows for capacity in the hundreds or thousands of megabits per second. This extra bandwidth is needed for transferring unprocessed sensor data from sonar/radars, as well as video feeds from for example an engine room.

The primary features and goals of OneNet are as follows:

• NMEA 2000 data transfer over IPv6 in a standard format
• High-bandwidth applications such as radar, video and more that are not possible via NMEA 2000
• Support Ethernet and TCP/IP at 1 gigabit and faster speeds
• Utilize standardized connectors (RJ-45 and X-Coded M12) depending on installation
• Robust, industry-standard cybersecurity requirements
• NMEA 2000 gateway compatibility
• Mandatory device & application certification by the manufacturer, then verified by NMEA

The use of the X-Coded M12 connector allows for up to 10 Gigabit Ethernet,^[7] but the full capabilities do not have to be utilized, and would also depend on the cabling that is installed.

See also

• Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services

Further reading

• News: Inside the National Marine Electronics Association . Yachting . 2013-12-01.
• News: Lindstrom named chairman of National Marine Electronics Association . Professional Mariner . 2013-12-01.

Notes and References

1. News: What is a GPS Tracker. 15 April 2016. rewiresecurity.
2. Web site: Reedenauer. Mark. NMEA releases version 1.000 of OneNet® Ethernet Standard. 4 November 2020.
3. Web site: Spitzer. Steve. OneNet summary for NMEA Board of Directors. 9 January 2015.
4. Web site: OneNet Ethernet Standard .
5. Web site: OneNet, NMEA finally creates a marine Ethernet standard! . 2012-08-12 . Ben . Ellison . Panbo .
6. Web site: NMEA OneNet 2013, already ahead of the curve? . 2013-09-09 . Ben . Ellison . Panbo .
7. Web site: What does the coding mean on M12 connectors? . 2017-03-01 . Mary . Gannon . Connector Tips . WTWH Media LLC .