Ponant Enhances Connectivity on Luxury Icebreaker
Digital solutions company Marlink has partnered with LEO internet operator Eutelsat OneWeb to provide digital connectivity solutions to cruise company Ponant.Ponant will deploy the Eutelsat OneWeb service on its polar exploration icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot, providing guests and crew with high throughput and low latency internet access across the vessel’s itinerary.Leveraging Marlink’s expertise in smart hybrid networks, the bandwidth delivered by Eutelsat OneWeb will enable Ponant’s seamless collaboration between the ship’s bridge, engineering crew and shore teams.
McMurdo Group Launched for Complete SAR Service
McMurdo Group was launched today as a new global company in end-to-end search and rescue (SAR) and maritime domain awareness (MDA) solutions. Comprised of Orolia’s former Positioning, Tracking and Monitoring Division, McMurdo Group combines Boatracs, Kannad, McMurdo and Techno-Sciences, Inc. into the industry’s first, single-vendor provider of end-to-end lifesaving and tracking solutions including distress beacons, satellite connectivity infrastructure, monitoring/positioning software and emergency response management. “The formation of McMurdo Group is far more just than a corporate realignment. It is an opportunity to lead, simplify and educate a fragmented…
Coast Guard Station Ocracoke Announces Change
Coast Guard Station Ocracoke has been under review and recommended for seasonal operations effective on or about Nov. 30, 2006, with a recommendation to align with existing units, potentially closing it permanently at a later date. The Ocracoke crew responds to approximately 30 search and rescue cases per year with the majority of those occurring in the summer months. This is well below the Coast Guard standard or average of 220 that is used to justify similar stations elsewhere. Secondly, station infrastructure is in an acute state of disrepair and requires significant capital improvements. Studies dating back to 2002 recommend a new facility if the unit does not transition to seasonal operations, but due to questions of operational need, the project remains unfunded.
