Royal National Lifeboat Institution Tests Iridium-Based
Satellite Tracking System
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has
begun testing a maritime safety system for automatic
vessel monitoring and emergency alerting at sea using
the Iridium satellite network.
The RNLI, in partnership with McMurdo Ltd and Active
Web Solutions, intends to conduct further sea trials
of the system with Iridium satellite links. If successful,
the RNLI plans to fit the system to its fleet of 128
all-weather lifeboats and 208 inshore lifeboats, which
are located around the coasts of the United Kingdom,
Ireland and Channel Islands.
“The Iridium-based vessel tracking system will
permit the lifeboat crew to concentrate on the task
at hand, safely operating the boat under difficult weather
and sea conditions, without making continual position
reports by voice calls over radio channels,” said
Mark Morgan, radiocommunications project officer at
RNLI headquarters. “With this system, we will be
able to monitor the lifeboats at all times from the
shoreside headquarters, providing enhanced levels of
safety and operational efficiency in our lifesaving
operations.” Morgan also noted that the RNLI is
considering the addition of Iridium voice-calling capability
on the all-weather lifeboats.
Don Thoma, executive vice president of Iridium Satellite,
said, “We are proud to be selected to provide critical
satellite communications for the RNLI, which is recognized
worldwide as a respected leader in search and rescue.”
|
19
December 2005 
