Beginning around 1908, needle compasses began to be replaced in ships by gyrocompasses, which use a fast spinning wheel to indicate north and south.
FORBES: No. 3 The Compass
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The captain can also call on the assistance of an electronic positioning system that uses a combination of data from satellites, gyrocompasses, and wind and motion sensors to operate the thrusters automatically.
ECONOMIST: Marine technology: A voyage of discovery | The