Radio Network News

Damien Oliver has been appointed as the interim Chief Executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA). Damien will begin his new role on Monday 17 October, which follows the current MCA Chief Executive Brian Johnson’s retirement.Chairman and board member Christopher Rodrigues said, “Damien has had a number of high-profile roles within the MCA since joining in 2001 and he will bring a wealth of maritime experience and knowledge. Damien has been responsible for major projects and programs…

All radio traffic on the emergency channel that reaches Sweden is now transcribed by artificial intelligence (AI) and shown to the operators at the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Gothenburg within a second. Keywords, such as "Mayday", "SOS", "help" and "sinking", are clearly marked and cannot be missed.The Swedish Maritime Administration, together with the Swedish companies Tenfifty AB and Maranics AB, has conducted a research and innovation project during the past two years.

The U.K.'s Maritime and Coastguard Agency is investing over £170 million ($221.5 million) in a new radio network for Her Majesty’s Coastguard. The new network will be built and maintained by telent Technology Services Ltd. and is a significant investment in telecommunications infrastructure in rural areas.The existing network will be replaced with a modern and resilient fiber-based hybrid network, that will provide increased reliability, bandwidth and security.The new network will ensure HM Coastguard can continue to communicate with ships in U.K.

The year 2014 has proved to be a chilly one for Arctic shipping. Just 31 ships sailed between Europe and Asia across the Northern Sea Route, and 22 did part of the route, according to an Alaska Public Radio Network report. That’s down from a total of more than 70 in 2013. Thirty-one ships used the Northern Sea Route over Russia to sail between Europe and Asia and another 22 used part of the route, Alaska Public Radio Network reported. Last year, 70 vessels used the Northern Sea Route. Malte Humpert, executive director of the Arctic Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, says this year has served as a reality check on some of the over-heated Arctic predictions of recent years.

The International Maritime Rescue Federation's (IMRF) Asia Pacific Regional meeting in Hong Kong summed up that improving search and rescue (SAR) communications infrastructure, advancing an integrated regional radio network and developing common SAR systems and procedures between SAR organisations in the Asia Pacific area would help save more lives in the waters of the region. Seventeen Search and Rescue organisations agreed the need for a plan to improve live saving across the area. having identified developing trends, such as an increasing number of super cruise liners carrying up to 6000 persons per vessel, more crossing ferry traffic  leading to a greater risk of collision…

The Swedish coastal radio network is a cornerstone of search and rescue activities in Swedish waters and is considered to be the mariner’s communication lifeline. The Swedish Maritime Administration is now investing some SEK 50 million to improve and modernise the system. “The coastal radio network is a fundamental part of our maritime infrastructure. The planned investment will improve its stability and increase maritime safety even further”, says Jon Granstedt, the Administration’s President of Construction and Engineering.

MARINER'S SAFETY ENDANGERED WHEN VHF RADIO DISTRESS ALERTS BY DIGITAL SELECTIVE CALLING (DSC) LACK LOCATION AND IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION. As the Coast Guard's new marine radio network Rescue 21 becomes operational throughout the U.S., rescue centers can now receive instant distress alerts from commonly used DSC-capable VHF marine radios. However, approximately 90% of VHF DSC distress alerts received by the Coast Guard do not contain position information, and approximately 60% do not contain a registered identity. The Coast Guard cannot effectively respond to a DSC distress alert sent from such a radio. * no position information is known. FIRST Obtain a Maritime Mobile Installation Identity (MMSI) and enter it into your radio.

The satellite communications sector of the marine market has not been immune from the corporate consolidations that have swept all other corners of the industry, and while this particular niche has been widely regarded as fragmented, it is yet to be seen what the end effect will be for the communication users. However, it can be assumed that competition is still keen, and the name of the communication game continues to center on quality, reliability and capabilities. With an increasing emphasis on the transmission of data rather than traditional voice or fax, it can be assumed that continued efforts will center on widening the information "pipeline" between vessel and shore.

Thrane & Thrane has been awarded a contract by Inmarsat to supply and install two Radio Network Controller stations in Hawaii. This is one of the first contracts awarded to start implementing the necessary BGAN infrastructure to support the 3rd Inmarsat-4 satellite. The contract delivery is planned to take place over the next two fiscal years. Installation of equipment is planned to be completed during this fiscal year whereas integration and testing is scheduled for the following fiscal year. Thrane & Thrane has worked with Inmarsat since 2001 to design, manufacture and install BGAN Radio Network infrastructure with a total value for Thrane & Thrane over this period of more than DKK 500 million.

A system touted as the first fully integrated workboat management system - dubbed GlobeOffshore - will be unveiled by Globe Wireless at the International Workboat Show in New Orleans, to be held Dec. 1-3. GlobeOffshore records vital data onboard the vessel and provides this data in a timely and accurate manner to users onshore. The system allows shoreside users to receive fleet reports, track vessels, and improve incident response time by making all appropriate information automatically available in one place. The system automates the traditional logbook. Vessel data is entered into the GlobeOffshore electronic log, which runs on a Windows-based personal computer aboard the vessel.

After over 30 years of service to mariners across the United States, MariTEL is discontinuing Marine radio voice communications service, effective June 6, 2003, citing rising operating costs and declining service revenues. “MariTEL appreciates the opportunity to serve the marine industry over the years. I sincerely hope that MariTEL service has been useful and regret that this action is necessary,” said Dan Smith, President and CEO of MariTEL. “Over the past decade, the coastal radio station voice communications market has been eroded by the proliferation of public mobile services (cellular and PCS), satellite communications, and other commercial mobile radio services.