The Totem Plus DST (Decision Support Tool) – marine revolutionary Collision Avoidance system – won the 2014 Plimsoll Award for Innovation.
This award recognizes an innovation that contributes to improved safety or efficiency in the commercial maritime industry.
Totem Plus has succeeded in bringing in one system a wide variety of data and information combined with algorithms that gives
the Officer Of the Watch (OOW) an outstanding tool to avoid catastrophic collisions at sea. The DST is part of the Totem ECDIS.

The award presentation by the Professional Mariner was held at a ceremonial lunch during the 2014 MCA (Maritime Association’s Shipping Conference)
in Stamford, Conn. It was filmed by MaritimeTV.

Full quote of Mr. Dominick Yanchunas’ speech (the Professional Mariner Chief Editor):
“Our third and final Plimsoll Award for today is the award for innovation.
This year’s winner is the Totem Plus collision avoidance system. This electronic module, which is part of Totem’s ECDIS product, serves as a decision support tool
for the Officer Of the Watch.
It’s a unique service that takes the various ARPA and AIS data and automatically analyses all targets, identifying which ones could pose a collision danger,
then it advises the officer on the best action that needs to be taken, whether it would be a course change or a change of speed, fully in accordance with COLREGS.
This advice takes into account what’s needed to avoid, not only a collision with a particular target, but also at the same time to avoid getting
into a hazardous situation involving other vessels and navigation impediments like rocks. This advice arrives in real time and the size of the alert radius can be customized.
The system is designed to reduce human error during in extremis situations and can even save fuel because it can prevent excessive course alterations.
The Totem Plus collision avoidance system is clearly gaining acceptance from the industry – even though it is not required yet,
two large tanker fleets and a large car carrier operator and at least seven other shipping lines are using it, with very positive feedback.
One of those companies submitted the Plimsoll nomination this year, emphasizing that Totem Plus contributes to and enhances safety at sea.
Here today, to accept the Plimsoll Award for innovation is the US representative for Totem Plus, Capt. Chaim Shacham.”

Full quote of Capt. Chaim Shacham’s speech (Totem Plus USA representative):
“My name is Chaim Shacham, I am a licensed and well experienced Master Mariner, having been in command of Merchant ships for many years,
and now I am the representative of Totem Plus in the USA. It is my honor and pleasure to accept the 2014 Samuel Plimsoll Award for Innovation
on behalf of Totem Plus and would like to convey the profound gratitude and appreciation of all the employees of Totem Plus led by its President and CEO, Captain Azriel Rahav, PhD.,
for being chosen to be this year’s recipient of this important award.
Totem Plus, whose vision is to be a world leader in marine computerized systems, has carved on its flag the commitment to improve the well being of seafarers on board their ships.
We are proud to receive the Samuel Plimsoll Award for innovation for our ECDIS and its unique feature – DST, short for Decision Support Tool – that will significantly
improve the Safety of Life At Sea by giving strict advice to the OOW on how to avoid collisions.
We should remember that only in 2013 more than 30 seamen lost their lives in more than 10 collisions, most of which could have been avoided by implementing the DST.”