Iridium Communications Inc. is proud to share that partner Marlink has extended its partnership with Soremar Group to provide Iridium® Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) services and Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS). This extension of services will provide an enhanced range of safety and vessel management services to fishing operators in North Africa, enabling more vessels to stay connected and compliant anywhere they sail.
Fishing operators in North Africa require safety and flexibility as they work to optimize catch while sailing in rough seas. With safety compliance as key, the option to include Iridium GMDSS is particularly valuable for fishing vessels operating in harsh environments. Iridium GMDSS uniquely combines Distress Alert, Safety Voice, and Maritime Safety Information (MSI) in one terminal, and due to the equipment’s small form-factor and cost-effective price, the service is now more accessible to smaller vessels that may not have otherwise been able to afford the equipment.
Marlink and Soremar previously worked together to create a portal that can be used by shoreside teams to track fishing vessels at sea and send and receive vessel positions and fleet overview. This expanded collaboration will now enable fishing operators in North Africa to do this over the Iridium network, ensuring they meet regulatory requirements. Through Iridium’s reliable and fully programmable VMS solutions, North African fisheries can gain full visibility anywhere at sea, at an affordable price.
“The inclusion of Iridium GMDSS and VMS services enables Soremar customers to embrace digitalization and value-added services that can improve safety and efficiency at sea,” says Bryan Hartin, executive vice president of sales and marketing, Iridium. “Marlink continues to provide specialized services and world class support to their customers seeking truly global connectivity solutions that only Iridium can enable.”
As one of the first selected GMDSS service providers, Marlink has played a critical role in delivering Iridium GMDSS capabilities to mariners interested in transitioning to the truly global Iridium network. They also led the effort as one of the first beta partners for the Iridium Edge® Solar remote asset management device, which is suited for remote vessel monitoring.