Vancouver, British Columbia – A new U.S. Coast Guard regulation has taken effect officially endorsing the use of LED (light emitting diode) lighting technology for private aids-to-navigation (PATONs), Carmanah Technologies Inc., a Canadian LED manufacturer said recently in a press release.
The new regulation means, for the first time, individuals, corporations, and all levels of government will be allowed to use approved LED-based marine lighting for their marine navigation aids. In the U.S., these aids account for more than half of all aids-to-navigation registered, Carmanah said.
Previous regulations specified the use of tungsten-incandescent bulbs.
“This is a significant milestone for our company,” Carmanah CEO, Art Aylesworth said. “The endorsement of LED solid state lighting for the marine industry is equivalent to the shift from kerosene to electricity in the last century.”
“LEDs are set to replace incandescent light bulbs for marine navigation in the United States and this presents an opportunity for Carmanah to do more business south of the border.”
The U.S. Coast Guard has been using Carmanah’s solar-powered LED lights since 1999, making them the only LED marine navigation lights approved for use in the U.S. federal Aids-to-Navigation System, the company said.
Compared to tungsten-incandescent bulbs, LEDs burn 20 times longer and use up to 90 percent less electricity, Carmanah said.