Communications Equipment News

Louisiana-based boat builder Metal Shark has unveiled Prowler, its new autonomous, amphibious, and semi-submersible military craft engineered to meet the current and near future warfighting requirements of the U.S. military and its allies. The company is also debuting Frenzy, a high-performance, low-cost, amphibious micro-USV (uncrewed surface vehicle) with a payload carrying capacity of up to 14 pounds.“Prowler represents the sum total of everything we’ve learned while building 400-plus autonomous and remote operated vessels for our military customers over the past decade…

The Port of New Orleans was awarded $947,280 in recently announced Port Security Grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support the expansion and enhancement of emergency services for Port NOLA’s maritime and industrial operations.With this funding award, Port NOLA will invest in physical and technological upgrades to the Port’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) which serves as home base during hurricanes and other significant incidents. Additionally…

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife recently took delivery of three more RIBCRAFT 5.85’s. With these additional boats, all of the Department’s long range fisheries patrol crafts now operate with a new RIBCRAFT 5.85 onboard. The rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) are deployed for boarding and enforcement up to 200 miles offshore. The delivery of these 19’ RIBs completes the fleet with four others already in service.The new purpose built shipboard RIBCRAFT RIBs renewed the CAFW’s aging and varied fleet.

The Port of New Orleans was recently awarded $514,964 in Port Security Grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to upgrade technology at the Harbor Police Department (HPD)’s Maritime Security Operations Center (MSOC).“This grant funding will strengthen our ability to provide proactive law enforcement services, patrols, anti-terrorism efforts, and investigative services,” said HPD’s Police Chief Melanie Montroll. “I am grateful for FEMA’s ongoing support…

San Francisco Bay Area boatbuilder Moose Boats said it has recently delivered an M1 – 46 to the State of California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife. The vessel is to be named, Chinook and will be based out of Fort Bragg, Calif. to serve as an offshore patrol boat.Twin Volvo Penta D11-625hp turbo diesel propulsion engines, Twin Disc transmissions and Hamilton water-jets with Blue Arrow and Jet Anchor station-keeping controls power the 46-foot aluminum catamaran. Accommodations…

The U.S. Coast Guard announced it has selected Inventech Marine Solutions of Bremerton, Wash., to build the next generation of over the horizon (OTH V) cutter boats. The first delivery order for four OTH Vs was placed August 3 with a value of $1.973 million. These four OTH Vs will be used for operational test and evaluation before the program moves to full production. The 10-year contract supports delivery of up to 200 boats with a total value of approximately $103 million.Beyond the similarities of speed and weight between the OTH V and the OTH IV it is replacing…

KVH Industries, Inc. announced that Tile Marine, a marine services company in India and the Middle East, is now a KVH Watch Solution Partner and will offer KVH Watch connectivity to augment its extensive maritime solutions. Tile Marine’s services cover a wide range of electrical, electronic, and mechanical work for shipowners and shipyards including installation, maintenance, and repair of communications equipment, integrated bridge systems, and other critical maritime equipment.“With KVH Watch connectivity…

Intellian announced the v45C, the smallest antenna the company has yet developed for the maritime satellite communications market. The C in the product name represents its compact form factor: this new 45cm unit will bring VSAT to new markets where there is limited space available for communications equipment, such as workboats, leisure craft, fishing boats, small commercial and government vessels.Intellian's recent launches have focused on enhancing user experience and capabilities with smaller VSAT solutions; first with the 60cm v60E antenna launched last year, and now the v45C.

The United States on Wednesday blacklisted 24 Chinese companies and targeted individuals it said were part of construction and military actions in the South China Sea, its first such sanctions move against Beijing over the disputed strategic waterway.The U.S. Commerce Department said the two dozen companies played a “role in helping the Chinese military construct and militarize the internationally condemned artificial islands in the South China Sea.”Separately, the State Department said it would impose visa restrictions on Chinese individuals “responsible for…

Fincantieri said it has acquired a majority share in communications equipment supplier Support Logistic Services (SLS) as the Italian shipbuilding group continues its push to diversify and expand its product and service portfolio.Rome-based SLS, which produces, installs and maintens radar, satellite and radio communications systems for military and civil applications, will be added under Fincantieri's information technology and electronics subsidiary INSIS, part of the group's newborn Electronics, Systems & Software Division.

Kongsberg Digital (KDI) delivered its first K-Sim Fast Craft simulators to the Singapore Police Coast Guard (SPCG) Training Center in Singapore.Unveiled at an official opening at the center previously this year, the four installed simulators reproduce a variety of high-speed vessel types and are supplied under the terms of a landmark contract with the Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs.The simulator is first of its kind in enabling realistic vessel simulation at speeds exceeding 50 knots and integrates with an advanced eye-tracking system in addition to weapons capabilities.

The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) is advising vessel operators to exercise extra caution and safe navigation practices after multiple instances of significant GPS interference have been reported over the last year by vessels in port and underway in the eastern and central Mediterranean Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Port of Shanghai, China.The incidents have resulted in lost or inaccurate GPS signals affecting bridge navigation, GPS-based timing, and communications equipment…

Three crewmembers were rescued from a sinking tugboat approximately 6 miles northeast of Andros Island, Bahamas, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Coast Guard 7th District watchstanders directed a helicopter crew to the scene after receiving an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) alert for the 62-foot Gulf Man at approximately 6:20 p.m. on Thursday.A Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew arrived on scene, reported the tug was taking on water, hoisted all three crewmembers and transported them to Nassau, Bahamas.

Moose Boats, a boat designer and manufacturer in the San Francisco Bay Area, was awarded a contract from the State of California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife for the construction of an M1-46 catamaran to serve as an offshore Game Warden boat.Twin Volvo Penta D11-625hp turbo diesel propulsion engines, Twin Disc transmissions and Hamilton water-jets with Blue Arrow and Jet Anchor station-keeping controls will power the 46 foot aluminum catamaran. Accommodations are designed…

A global regime to create much-needed safety standards for fishing vessels has moved a significant step closer following the International Maritime Organization (IMO)-led international Ministerial Conference, organized in conjunction with Spain, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and The Pew Charitable Trusts.During the conference (21-23 October), nearly 50 States signed the Torremolinos Declaration, publicly indicating their determination to ensure that the 2012 Cape Town Agreement on fishing vessel safety will enter into force by the tenth anniversary of its adoption (11 October 2022).The Cape Town Agreement includes mandatory safety measures for fishing vessels of 24 m in length and over.

On  July 11, 2019, Damen Shipyards Den Helder signed a midlife upkeep (MLU) contract with the Netherlands Ministry of Defense. With this contract, support ship HNLMS Pelikaan, along with hydrographic survey vessels HNLMS Snellius and HNLMS Luymes, all of the Royal Netherlands Navy, are heading to Damen Shipyards Den Helder for an  maintenance and modernization.The scope of work that the Damen yard will perform will include equipping the vessels with new hull plating, renewal of radars and communications equipment and maintenance the ship’s systems…

Dutch Port of Rotterdam has sent the hyper-smart Container 42 on a two-year data-collecting mission around the world.During this journey, the container – which houses an array of sensors and communications equipment – will be measuring changes in parameters like vibration, slope, position, sound, local air pollution, humidity and temperature.The unit has also been fitted with solar panels, which can be used to determine how much power a container can generate during a given journey by ship, train or truck. The container will be making its first stop in early June, in Munich, Germany. Here it will be presented to the public during the…

The Coast Guard rescued two people from a sinking vessel Thursday approximately 3 miles east of Key Largo.Rescued were Eric Kample, 40, and Robert Pflugh, 56.At approximately 4 a.m., Coast Guard Sector Key West received a distress call from the crew of the 36-foot sailing vessel, No Worries, via VHF-FM radio channel 16 stating they were taking on water and on the verge of capsizing. Watchstanders launched a Coast Guard Air Station Miami MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and Coast…

The U.S. Coast Guard rescued four people from a life raft after a commercial fishing vessel caught fire about 16 miles southeast of Cape May, N.J., Saturday morning. No injuries were reported.Crew members aboard the 75-foot fishing vessel Ocean Pearl activated Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons and abandoned ship after an electrical fire ignited on board around 10:30 a.m.Once aboard their life raft, the Ocean Pearl’s crew used a handheld radio to contact watchstanders…

MarineNews showcases the ten best of North America’s 2018 workboat deliveries. Domestic shipyard production is robust, innovative and getting greener. And, that translates into two kinds of ‘green.’As the domestic offshore energy support sector slowly awakens, other sectors have been happy to take the spotlight in its absence. As always, and if a hull was delivered in 2018, we took a look at it, with several areas as a focus for inclusion into this edition. For my part, I’m always excited when the U.S. boatbuilding sector can deliver for a foreign buyer. We’ve checked that box here. And, that’s because we can compete on price, quality and when we do…

FUELTRAX optimizes uptime and reduce costs with a real-time marine fuel management solution. Solving your emissions and fuel monitoring reporting and compliance headache is what they are all about.In today’s operating environment, it would be an understatement to say that detailed insight into fuel consumption and efficiency is one key to managing marine operations. But, beyond the operational headache of determining where and why you are consuming so much fuel and so quickly, regulatory compliance is also emerging as a fundamental requirement of modern marine operators. The two cannot be separated any longer. And, that’s where FUELTRAX…

A Swiss-operated ship has been attacked off the coast of Nigeria, Switzerland’s foreign ministry said, amid media reports that 12 crew members had been kidnapped by a  gang of pirates.The MV Glarus, merchant ship operated by Geneva-based shipping company Massoel Shipping, was transporting wheat between Lagos and the southern Niger Delta oil hub of Port Harcourt.According to reports, the incident took place at about 45 nautical miles south west of Bonny Island. The pirates held 12 among the ship's staff members as hostages.According to West African nation's maritime agency, the crew members the Swiss cargo vessel kidnapped by pirates are from the Philippines…

While exact figures are hard to come by, preliminary, conservative estimates of fatalities in fishing are now over 32 000 people annually. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says that the number of fishers injured or suffering from work-related illnesses are much higher. Fatalities and accidents have major impacts on fishers' families, fishing crews and fishing communities. These stark figures provided the background to talks at the Fifth International Fishing Industry Safety & Health Conference (iFish5) (10–13 June), in St. John’s, Canada. IMO’s Sandra Allnutt outlined International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s work to address fishing vessel safety. She emphasised the need for more countries to ratify the 2012 Cape Town Agreement on fishing vessel safety.