Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS) and Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM) announced that the U.S. Coast Guard has type-approved the CLS Thorium terminal for Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT). The type approval clears the way for CLS America, a subsidiary of CLS, to equip ships sailing under the U.S. flag to comply with the international LRIT carriage requirements. Pole Star, the U.S. LRIT Application Service Provider (ASP), conducted the conformance tests on behalf of the U.S. Coast Guard to ensure the Thorium product meets the international performance standards for LRIT. “Iridium’s global service coverage includes all ocean areas, including the north and south Polar Regions,” said Greg Ewert, executive vice president, global distribution channels, Iridium.