Absolute Maritime Tracking Services Integrates EMS Satamatics LRIT Solutions

 

April 16, 2009

EMS Satamatics,  Long Range Identification & Tracking (LRIT) solutions are now integrated within the Absolute LRIT Data Centre. This latest technical milestone follows Satamatics completing rigorous equipment testing, as required by the Maritime Safety Committee’s compliance guidelines, for ships to be able to reliably transmit LRIT information.

 “We are pleased that EMS Satamatics’ LRIT product range is now fully supported by the Absolute LRIT Data Centre and Conformance Testing systems,” says Jeff Douglas, president of Absolute. “The introduction of a new Inmarsat-based product range is significant, and offers a wider selection of equipment types for ship owners in meeting their LRIT obligations.”

Absolute Maritime Tracking Services was selected by the Panama Maritime Authority to provide the LRIT Data Centre (DC) and related Application Service Provider services.   EMS Satamatics designs and manufactures cost-effective solutions for safety and security for the maritime market and is one of only two Communication Service Providers operating Inmarsat IsatM2M services.

Sandy Lumsden, EMS Satamatics’ product manager, explains, “Satamatics considers Absolute a valued partner and we are delighted to support their tracking and distress-alert requirements at sea.  This significant milestone underscores our commitment to deliver low-cost, compliant solutions to the global maritime community.”

Under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), LRIT compliance became mandatory in January 2009 for thousands of vessels worldwide and applies to vessel types engaging in international voyages, such as passenger ships (including high-speed craft, cargo ships at or exceeding 300 gross tonnage) and mobile offshore drilling units. Proof of conformance of both the ship’s LRIT and SSAS obligations is mandatory for the annual vessel radio survey.