BETHESDA, Md. and SINGAPORE, Oct. 7, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:IRDM) and Kemilinks International Pte Ltd (Kemilinks) announce that Kemilinks is now offering Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) through the Iridium satellite network.
Kemilinks acts as the LRIT Application Service Provider for the flag states of Kiribati, Tuvalu, Mongolia and, through its partners, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. As an Iridium Value-Added Reseller, Kemilinks is now able to sell and provision Iridium-based LRIT connectivity to ships flying those flags.
Under new regulations that the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has adopted, ships subject to the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) must be equipped with an approved LRIT device that reports its location and identification to a database operated by the administration under which the vessel is flagged. The database may be accessed by authorized users, such as national coast guards, at regular intervals.
"Iridium offers a robust, worldwide solution for ships needing to comply with the IMO's LRIT carriage requirements," said Frankie Neo, director, Kemilinks. "With its global satellite coverage over all the Earth's seaways, its low-latency, two-way short-burst data (SBD) links, and high network quality, Iridium provides an ideal communication medium for LRIT reporting."
"Iridium is the only truly global LRIT Communication Service Provider," said Greg Ewert, executive vice president, global distribution channels, Iridium. "As such, Iridium is the only maritime satellite system that provides coverage over all IMO Sea Areas. This coverage provides a reliable, critical service for ships at sea no matter where they are on the globe."
Four Value-Added Manufacturers -- Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS), EMA, Faria Watchdog(R), Inc., and Trident Sensors -- have successfully tested their LRIT products for operation on the Iridium satellite network, and offer a robust and reliable solution for LRIT compliance.
The IMO LRIT carriage requirements apply to all vessels of 300 gross tonnage and above on international voyages, including passenger ships, cargo ships, high-speed craft and mobile offshore drilling units.
The LRIT carriage requirements came into effect January 1, 2009 for ships operating in all IMO Sea Areas except Sea Area A4. The deadline for ships operating in Sea Area A4 was July 1, 2009. All new ships subject to the LRIT regulations were required to comply by these dates, and current ships requiring retrofit equipment must comply by the date of their first radio survey after these deadlines. Ships certified in Sea Area A4 must comply by the earlier date when they are operating in other Sea Areas.
About Iridium Communications Inc.
Iridium (www.iridium.com) is the only provider of mobile satellite communications services offering 100 percent global coverage. Iridium's constellation operates in a low-earth orbit and its satellite network provides communication services to regions of the world not served by wireless or wireline networks. Iridium offers voice and data communications services to the U.S. and foreign governments, businesses, non-governmental organizations and consumers via its constellation of 66 in-orbit satellites, seven in-orbit spares and related ground infrastructure. Iridium's commercial end-user base includes the emergency services, maritime, government, utilities, oil and gas, mining, leisure, forestry, construction and transportation markets. Iridium's products and related applications are installed in unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters, commercial aircraft, marine vessels and ground vehicles. Iridium has launched a major development program for its next-generation constellation, Iridium NEXT, which will support new and existing Iridium product and service offerings. Iridium is headquartered in Bethesda, Md.
About Kemilinks International Pte Ltd
Kemilinks International was established in 2001 and staffed with experienced satellite communications and software systems professionals to provide a wide range of mobile satellite products and services for maritime and land-based applications to customers within Singapore and surrounding countries. The company holds a Service-Based Operator license and various licenses from Singapore's Infocomm Development Authority (IDA). Kemilinks International's main office and development centre are based in Singapore, with presence in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and China. For more information on Kemilinks International Pte Ltd, visit www.kemilink.com.