Official Communications News

Subchapter M, the United States regulatory code dealing with towing vessels and requirements for towing vessel safety, has officially been in place since July 20, 2016, when the U.S. Coast Guard finalized Sub M rulemaking.Since the rules were finalized there have been a couple of important hammer dates. In spring and summer 2018 the first certificates of inspection (COI) were issued. COIs are central within the Sub M program. A vessel needs a COI to legally operate. (All vessels were required to comply with Sub M by July 20, 2018.

Iridium Satellite LLC announced the availability of crew calling services for the maritime industry. Iridium's crew calling solution simultaneously supports pre-paid calling for individual crew members and subscription services for a vessel's official communications. Iridium's new crew calling program allows vessel owners and operators to provide both official and personal communications from a single phone. Vessel operators can provide pre-paid scratch cards to individual crew members to allow for personal calling. For official business, the captain and crew can use the same phone for subscription-based calls. Beginning immediately, Iridium will offer the new crew calling services through its global network of service providers.

Iridium Satellite LLC, the company born from the ashes of what was one of the most spectacular and initial telecom failures, has fortified its market position in the past year, aggressively pursuing relationships with companies that will help expand use of its satellite network across all industires. The Alexandria, Va.-based Iridium — which bought the assets of Iridium LLC out of bankruptcy in December 2000, launched global voice services in March 2001 and added ubiquitous Internet connectivity in June — has announced a number of deals with leading satellite communication companies — Xantic, Telenor and France Telecom Mobile Satellite Communications — and has launched a new crew calling service for the marine business.