LRIT
CLS- LRIT terminal Thorium, first Iridium-based terminal LRIT type approved in the United States
Largo, Md., U.S.A., August, 2009 - CLS America, and its parent company Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS), Ramonville, France, announces its Iridium-based LRIT terminal - Thorium - has been type-approved by the US Coast Guard (#165.207/4/0). CLS is a major provider of satellite-based environmental data collection, location and ocean observation services. Thanks to this type approval, CLS America will be able to provide US flag ships with Iridium-based LRIT terminals to ensure their LRIT compliance.
“We are very pleased to be able to offer the first US Coast Guard type approved Iridium terminal for the North American LRIT market” said Ben Minichino, Vice President, Strategic Security Programs, CLS America. “The CLS Thorium Terminal fills a void in the US market by offering the ship owner a truly global LRIT solution. Our Thorium Terminal is certified to operate in all four Sea Area’s, thus allowing a ship owner the ability to have one single terminal with worldwide coverage.”
The new SOLAS LRIT regulation requiring LRIT capabilities went into force December 31, 2008, and applies to all passenger and cargo ships above 300 gross tons. For months, shipowners worldwide have been testing their onboard equipment for compliance with IMO Circular MSC.1/Circ.1307. In many cases, shipowners opted for a standalone LRIT device to ensure their compliance. In particular, ships navigating in Sea Area A4 having to comply with the LRIT regulation must be fitted with Iridium-based equipment, as Iridium is the only operator in the world able to reliably provide service at such latitudes.
Iridium meets all IMO requirements for serving as a communications service provider (CSP) for LRIT. Iridium provides a commercial low-latency, highly reliable transmission mechanism for LRIT data everywhere in the world. Iridium’s global service coverage includes open oceans and the poles. As such, it offers particular advantages when tracking ships operating in high latitudes above 70 degrees. In those geographic areas, Iridium is the only CSP able to reliably satisfy the requirements of the LRIT performance standard. The Iridium short-burst data (SBD) service is well suited to the requirements of LRIT and forms the basis of Iridium’s LRIT standard.
The Thorium™ – CLS’ Iridium-based LRIT terminal
The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) recently awarded CLS the contract for the provision and operation of the EU LRIT Data Centre, as well as the associated Application Service Provider (ASP) and Communication Service Provider (CSP) functions. The EMSA LRIT Data Centre – the largest in the world - will not only enable the 27 EU Maritime Administrations, and those of Iceland and Norway, to track more than 10,000 vessels flying their flags, but will also request position reports of non-EU flag vessels entering EU coastal waters.
CLS has also been appointed by many other administrations to provide dedicated LRIT DC, ASP and testing ASP services.
“As one of the major ASPs, we know how reliable it is to track ships fitted with Iridium-based terminals. We are pleased to know that many ships in the US market will now have the chance to have such a terminal onboard,” said Gaetan Fabritius, LRIT Sales Manager of CLS. “Iridium Satellite is one of these partners, offering us easy-to-use, cost-effective and reliable CSP services, as well as compliant LRIT devices. We are very pleased to have developed this partnership with Iridium for LRIT purposes, not only to serve regions where no other communications services exist, but also to provide reliable, critical information to and from ships at sea in compliance with the new regulations.”
The Iridium-based Thorium LRIT unit is promoted in US and Canada by CLS America. For additional information, please contact: CLS America +301-925-4411.
“The deployment of Iridium-based LRIT Services in the US marks another major milestone in extending our range of maritime regulatory safety services,” said Wouter Deknopper, Director EMEA Markets, Iridium.
About CLS
CLS, Collecte Localisation Satellites, is a subsidiary of the French Space Agency (CNES), and of Ifremer (French research institute for the exploration of the sea). CLS is a key player in sustainable management of marine resources, environmental monitoring and maritime security. CLS has demonstrated an unrivalled 20 years’ expertise in Vessel Monitoring Systems and the delivery of Data Centres to governments around the world and proposes a complete range of LRIT products and services, from implementing LRIT data centers to providing satellite data (as an Application Service Provider), testing and furnishing LRIT compliant terminals. Within this framework, CLS has been contracted by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to provide the EU LRIT Data Centre and associated Application Service Provider (ASP) services on behalf of all EU member states plus Iceland and Norway. This Data Centre will be the world’s largest LRIT Data Centre monitoring approximately 10000 registered vessels. More info:
www.cls.fr and
www.lrit.fr
About Iridium
Iridium Satellite LLC (www.iridium.com) is the only mobile satellite service (MSS) company offering pole-to-pole coverage over the entire globe. The Iridium constellation of low-earth orbiting (LEO), cross-linked satellites provides critical voice and data services for areas not served by terrestrial communication networks. Iridium's subscriber growth has been driven by increasing demand for reliable, secure, global communications. Iridium serves commercial markets through a worldwide network of hundreds of distributors, and provides services to the U.S. Department of Defense, and other U.S. and international government agencies. The company's customers represent a broad spectrum of industry, including maritime, aeronautical, government/defense, public safety, utilities, oil/gas, mining, forestry, heavy equipment and transportation. Iridium has launched a major development program for its next-generation satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT, which will result in continued and new Iridium MSS offerings. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Md. and is currently privately held.
Contacts:
North American Customers:
Ben Minichino
Vice President, Strategic Security Programs
CLS America
+1.717.799.9039
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Europe:
Gaëtan Fabritius
LRIT Sales manager
CLS
+33 5.61.39.37.02
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Iridium:
Liz DeCastro
Corporate Communications Director
Iridium
+1 301 571 6257
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SHIPLOC
To improve the security of maritime transportation, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has mandated all ships weighing over 500 metric tons to install a Ship Security Alert System (SSAS).
The CLS Group's comprehensive ShipLoc product allows shipowners to meet IMO standards and keep constant track of their fleet.
If intruders board a ship, SHIPLOC lets the crew send an alert signal automatically and discreetly to teams ashore. It also helps them to comply with specific regulatory requirements that may vary between ports.
The CLS Group has signed an exclusive agreement with the International Maritime Bureau's Piracy Reporting Center and is the first supplier in the world to offer a 24/7 solution of this sort.
