USCG Approves CLS Thorium Terminal for LRIT
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.
EU LRIT Data Centre in Production
As of 1 June 2009, the European Union Long Range Identification and Tracking of ships Data Centre (EU LRIT DC) entered in production following successful developmental testing. This is a milestone following a preparatory phase of a year-and-a-half of development work by the European Maritime Safety Agency and its main contractor – Collecte Localisation Satellite (CLS). By the entry into operation of the EU LRIT DC, the participating Contracting Governments meet the international deadline for providing LRIT information by 30 June 2009. The EU LRIT DC is a combined effort of the European Commission, in cooperation with Member States, through the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The Agency is in charge of the data centre's technical development, operation and maintenance.
CLS Installs First Iridium-Based LRIT Terminals
Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS) announces on Feb. 3 that it has sold its first Iridium-based compliant Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) terminals in partnership with Iridium Satellite LLC. CLS is a provider of satellite-based environmental data collection, location and ocean observation services. Through the CLS-Iridium partnership, CLS also delivered corresponding LRIT Conformance Test Certificates on behalf of the flag administration. The new SOLAS LRIT regulation requiring LRIT capabilities went into force December 31, 2008, and applies to all passenger and cargo ships above 300 gross tons. For months, shipowners worldwide have been testing their onboard equipment for compliance with IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1296.
January Lakes Coal Trade Cut in Half
The stumbling economy took its toll on the Great Lakes coal trade in January. Shipments totaled only 778,971 net tons, just half the volume of a year ago, and certainly one of the slowest Januarys in recent memory. With the Lakes now largely closed by winter, the low January coal total could come back to haunt the nation if power plants find themselves short of coal. A recently-released study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers found that Great Lakes shipping annually saves its customers $3.6b in transportation costs compared to the land-based modes. However, all U.S.-Flag lakers are now in winter lay-up and undergoing annual maintenance, so the fleet would not be able to meet any demand for coal until March at the earliest. Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS) announces on Feb.
Progress on EU LRIT Data Center
On 6 November 2008, at the European Maritime Safety Agency(EMSA) headquarters in Lisbon, contracts were signed for thedevelopment of the European Union Long Range Identification andTracking Data Centre. This step marks the end of a Europeanpublic procurement process started with the tender publication on11 June 2008. Willem de Ruiter, EMSA Executive Director,Christophe Vassal, CEO of CLS (Collecte Localisation Satellites)based in Ramonville, France and Isabelle Roussin, Executive VicePresident of Marketing for Highdeal S.A., based in Paris, Francemet to underline their dedication to setting-up a Data Centre forthe EU Member States as early as possible in 2009. Mr.
