Safety Services News

In advance of the conference on aircraft tracking currently being hosted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal, Inmarsat has confirmed that it has proposed to ICAO a free global airline tracking service over the Inmarsat network, as part of the anticipated adoption of further aviation safety service measures by the world’s airlines following the loss of flight MH370. This service is being offered to all 11,000 commercial passenger aircraft, which are already equipped with an Inmarsat satellite connection…

Inmarsat, has opened its new Singapore office, which is the company’s largest facility in Asia Pacific region. Inmarsat’s investment in the 1,700 suareq meter office in Toa Payoh, Central Region Singapore, sees the company’s regional hub providing a new solutions lab, demonstration capabilities, training rooms, a knowledge centre and support center, in addition to enhanced production and storage facilities. The opening ceremony was attended by Inmarsat’s CEO, Rupert Pearce, Beh Kain Teik…

Globecomm has supplied its global Ku-band VSAT service to specialist shipowner and manager Briese Schiffahrts in support of its fleet growth plans.Long-time Globecomm customer Briese is undertaking a program of fleet renewal, constructing a series of eight ‘Open Top Eco 5000’ multi-purpose vessels, designed to consume 30 percent less fuel but with increased crane and cargo capacity.The first of four ships was christened in mid-April 2018 at Zhejiang Zengzhou Shipbuilding Co with three more of the 90-meter long…

Shipowners who want to get the value out of data, applications and smarter shipping have realized that VSAT is the new L-Band, says Malcolm McMasterAt Globecomm we spend as much time as possible talking to shipowners about their communications needs. It’s always a rewarding conversation because we hear about what they actually do with bandwidth, which gives us insight into what systems and solutions might suit them best.Over the last decade that would almost always mean L-Band satellite systems; but this is changing.

Polaris and Falck have signed an agreement whereby Polaris will acquire 100 percent of the shares in Falck Safety Services Holding A/S and take over all Safety Services activities in Falck for an undisclosed sales price. This transaction, expected to close during September 2018, also includes the Falck Fire Academy in the Netherlands.Falck President & CEO Jakob Riis said, “We are focusing our business and reducing complexity to build leadership in our core business areas. Safety Services is a leader in rescue and safety training.

Van Oord has signed a two year contract with Falck Safety Services for the provision of safety training.   Van Oord, a contractor for dredging, marine engineering and offshore energy projects, including oil, gas and wind, said it has invested in a trainee program for its employees for many years.   The new contract will see Falck provide Van Oord with the majority of necessary safety training. Alongside safety training for the offshore, maritime and wind industries, Falck also offers occupational health and safety training (Falck BHV) in the Netherlands.

Iridium Communications Inc. announced today that KDDI Corporation, Navarino and NSSLGlobal Ltd., are the newest Iridium Certus service providers for the maritime industry. Iridium Certus will offer a L-band satellite broadband connectivity solution.With higher speeds, state-of-the-art small form factor terminals and competitive pricing options, Iridium Certus will offer a complete communications platform for all mariners and can serve as a primary service or VSAT companion solution.

Iridium Communications Inc. announced that seven additional service providers have signed agreements to provide the Iridium Certus service for maritime applications. Globecomm, Network Innovations, Pivotel, MVS USA, IEC-Telecom, MetOcean and Samsan Enterprise Company now further broaden the base of Iridium’s distribution for its next-generation L-band broadband service. These seven companies will play a critical role in delivering what will be the fastest and most competitive L-band satellite broadband solution to the maritime industry, enabling a truly global “connected ship” environment. This announcement comes shortly after Iridium became the second-ever recognized service provider for the Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS)…

Inmarsat has marked the 25th anniversary of Inmarsat C by revealing that more than 600 distress alerts from vessels in urgent need were broadcast over the service in 2015. The disclosure demonstrates how the decision made by IMO administrations requiring all ships of more than 300 gross tons to be fitted with a Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) remains pivotal in protecting lives at sea. Inmarsat is the only safety services provider in the world approved to deliver GMDSS under the rigorous International Convention for the Safety of Life At Sea requirements.

The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) today presented SEACOR Marine with the 2015 NOIA Safety in Seas (SIS) Culture of Safety Award and Safety Practice Award. This is the first time the same company has won awards in the same year. NOIA added the Culture of Safety award to the competition in 2014. SEACOR Marine won the Culture of Safety Award for their safety culture model which spurred a seven year trend of declining total number of Lost Time Incidents, Medical Treatment Incidents…

Supported by European Space Agency (ESA) funding, Inmarsat’s forthcoming Maritime Safety Data Service (MSDS) for FleetBroadband, delivers an increased data capability over the Inmarsat-4 network, including the Alphasat satellite, providing global coverage and the same reliability of over 99.9 per cent associated with the Inmarsat network. MSDS will continue to offer distress alerting, priority messaging and SafetyNET safety information broadcasts, but also deliver greater data capability than is currently available with Inmarsat C safety services.

Data from maritime safety specialist Propel shows huge potential to reduce risk of serious accidents. “Human failure tops the agenda of many companies though few know how to address it in a proper way. Collaboration, trust and engagement of all personnel -ship and shore- are vital to reduce major accidents. The whole industry needs to change its focus when it comes to improving maritime safety,” said Benedikte Wentworth, CEO of Propel. According to Propel, despite the continuing downward trend in total vessel losses…

Iridium Communications Inc. announced that two key milestones along the path to becoming the second recognized provider of Global Maritime Distress Safety System (GMDSS) services have been reached. During its 98th session this past June, the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) adopted new performance standards for GMDSS equipment and approved amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Treaty, which pave the way for Iridium to become a recognized GMDSS service provider. Now, the key remaining step in the approval process is an IMO resolution recognizing Iridium as a certified GMDSS mobile satellite service provider. Iridium expects this will be completed during calendar year 2018, with Iridium GMDSS service to begin in 2020.

Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA), the government authority charged with regulating, coordinating and supervising all aspects of Dubai’s maritime sector, has signed a strategic service-level agreement (SLA) with Trakhees, a regulatory arm of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone in Dubai, UAE, for sustainable development of the maritime city. Under the terms of the agreement, Trakhees will process all types of permits and approvals along with ancillary activities for all civil engineering and environment…

Falck Safety Services and Simwave are joining forces to serve the maritime and oil and gas industries with combined simulation and practical training. For more than 30 years, Falck Safety Services has offered safety training for the offshore, maritime and wind industries. On November 8th, Simwave will open its doors to the most advanced maritime simulator center in the world. This co-operation means that customers will be able to undertake simulation training at Simwave to complement the training at one of the training centers of Falck Safety Services.

Norsafe set a new world record June 25, 2015, when the 70 passenger GES50 MKIII was dropped from 40 meters with 10 persons on board. There has never before been a staffed lifeboat dropped from this height. The drop was completed successfully, and the triumphant crew emerged to an applause from the supporting crew and technical staff. “The feeling of being weightless for more than 3 seconds of time felt like forever, although the wait up until the actual drop felt much longer.

Inmarsat will commemorate the untimely passing earlier this year of one of the architects of its Maritime Safety Operations network by sponsoring the first International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF) H.E.R.O. Award for outstanding service to maritime search and rescue, 'The Vladimir Maksimov Award'. The sponsorship is seen as a fitting tribute to Vladimir Maksimov, Inmarsat Director of SOLAS Services, who died on 4th May 2016 after a short illness, following 25 years with Inmarsat. Mr Maksimov played a central role in the Inmarsat safety team. The H.E.R.O.

Inmarsat and Intellian have signed an outline agreement that will support enhancements to Inmarsat’s FleetBroadband service for the next decade and beyond. The new agreement will see Intellian design and manufacture a new generation of FleetBroadband terminals that will support the existing I-4 network alongside the major advances coming with Inmarsat’s sixth generation satellite constellation, the first of which is scheduled for launch in 2020. The next generation terminals will be significantly lower cost and feature a host of new capabilities, including much faster throughput speeds.

Inmarsat welcomed the President of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Xi Jinping to its London headquarters, as part of the President’s historic State Visit to the UK. The visit reflects the close working relationship between Inmarsat and China. China was one of the eighty-six countries that came together to found Inmarsat with a maritime safety mandate and over thirty five years later Inmarsat continues to contribute to safety and security in Maritime and Aviation and more recently during disaster situations in China.

Wilh. Wilhelmsen Holding Invest AS (WWHI), a fully owned subsidiary of Wilh. Wilhelmsen Holding ASA (WWH), informs it hs raised its shareholding in NorSea Group AS (NSG) from 35.4% to 40%. The share increase follows a share issue in the company whereby NSG buys Danbor AS from A.P. Møller Mærsk AS. “Increasing our shareholding in NSG is a natural part of our strategic ambition to broaden our exposure in the energy, offshore and maritime industry, supplementing activities Wilh. Wilhelmsen ASA and Wilhelmsen Maritimes Services,” says Nils P Dyvik, group CFO in WWH.

Speaking ahead of Sea Japan today, WSS General Manager for Japan Yoshihiro Iizuka says that although the Japanese market is moving towards growth for 2014, the recovery will be stronger in the second half, with an increase in newbuilds expected towards the end of the year. Iizuka says:  “Overall, the Japanese market is in recovery, with annual pay raises by the major corporates estimated at around 2-3% for 2014. However, the weakened Japanese Yen relative to the past couple of years has contributed to the widening of the trade deficit with particular reductions in export value.

A U.S. Coast Guard crew is en route to assist a 207-foot fishing vessel with 26 people aboard beset in ice approximately 900 miles northeast of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star is attempting to reach the crew of an Australian-flagged fishing vessel, Antarctic Chieftain, who contacted Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand Tuesday evening for assistance after becoming trapped in the Antarctic ice. The crew of 40-year-old cutter has reported heavy, snow, wind and ice conditions at times as well as large icebergs along their course.

Maritime satellite communications provider Inmarsat says it now connects leisure and fishing vessels with a specially designed broadband service. Accessing weather information and chart updates, keeping in contact with loved ones or simply checking the news are now as simple to do at sea as they are on land with the launch of Fleet One from Inmarsat Maritime. From nnow on, yacht and fishing boat owners can take full advantage of maritime broadband services previously only available to much larger vessels.