Inmarsat unveils today the new standalone terminal that will suit the needs of the main maritime safety systems and offer ultra-resilient access to Inmarsat’s ELERA L-band network.
A significant advancement in marine safety has been made by Inmarsat, a leader in worldwide, mobile satellite communications. A next-generation terminal has been unveiled that will make it simple and quick to access industry-leading connectivity services, such as the recently released Fleet Safety.
The independent gear will undergo testing in 2023 and guarantees ultra-resilient connection throughout the whole satellite footprint of Inmarsat’s ELERA L-band network, which will be expanded by two new satellites that will begin operations in the following year. It will comply with the specifications and performance benchmarks of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) system, and Ship Security Alert System established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) (SSAS).
Peter Broadhurst, Senior Vice President of Safety and Regulatory, Inmarsat Maritime, said: “Our next-generation maritime safety terminal will draw on the power of the growing ELERA network to provide highly resilient connectivity that fulfills IMO requirements in line with the GMDSS, SSAS and LRIT safety systems. Subject to all regulatory requirements, we expect the new safety terminal to become the standard Inmarsat safety offering to the market from 2024 onwards with significant additional capabilities. It is therefore the ideal complement to Fleet Safety, which itself represents a major modernization of maritime safety communications and sets new standards in the protection of lives at sea.”
The small, light-weight terminal will be the first of its kind to have an eSIM for quick provisioning and service-plan selection, and it will be simple to deploy and install. The solution will enable shipowners to take use of current and upcoming IoT services via the ELERA network in addition to providing dependable access to Fleet Safety, which includes a new Maritime Safety Information interface, a Distress Chat function, among other expanded capabilities.
Inmarsat has designed and developed an ELERA Radio Module to aid Inmarsat value-added manufacturers (VAMs) in producing their own versions of the terminal based on a modular design in conjunction with its work on the next-generation safety maritime terminal. The upcoming launch of a new I-6 F2 satellite, which will complement the current I-6 F1 satellite and provide the next generation of applications and global safety services through the 2040s and beyond, is included in Inmarsat’s ELERA network roadmap.
References
Inmarsat. (2022, November 23). Inmarsat unveils next-generation Maritime Safety Terminal. Inmarsat Corporate Website. Retrieved November 23, 2022, from https://www.inmarsat.com/en/news/latest-news/maritime/2022/next-generation-safety-terminal.html