Maritime Safety GMDSS

We provide satellite communications services which prioritise safety at sea.

Small ship on rough sea relying on satellite communications services GMDSS to stay safe
GMDSS is a safety of life system that helps keep mariners safe in emergency situations while at sea.

Utilising satellite and terrestrial technology, on-board systems are designed to prevent accidents, quickly alert rescue authorities and nearby vessels in the event of an emergency.

Under the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention, cargo ships of 300 gross tonnes and upwards and all passenger ships on international voyages must be equipped with satellite and radio equipment that conforms to international standards. GMDSS systems are equally valuable and increasingly prevalent on 'voluntary fit' vessels such as recreational boats and leisure yachts.

We provide dependable solutions for the maritime industry that enables global connectivity for mariners anywhere in the world.

From terrestrial radios, GSM handsets to complete GMDSS compliant solutions, AST Networks has the safety of your vessel and crew welfare covered if disaster strikes, and when communication is critical.

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Iridium GMDSS

The Iridium GMDSS service brings reliable, truly global GMDSS services to the market for the first time, giving the maritime industry real choice and making critical safety services available anywhere on the globe.

Leading the way is the Lars Thrane LT-3100S GMDSS terminal, a truly versatile safety system that not only provides all the required GMDSS distress alerting and voice support but also offers non-safety features in one package.

LT 3100S Iridium GMDSS System
LARS Thrane LT-3100 System
LT-3100S Iridium GMDSS Terminal

The LT-3100S GMDSS Terminal from Lars Thrane A/S is the first GMDSS solution to be available for the Iridium GMDSS service. It provides, not only, the key services for GMDSS compliance - such as Distress Alert and Maritime Safety Information (MSI) - but also incorporates non-GMDSS features - non-priority voice, data and SMS - in one small form factor terminal.

Iridium GMDSS Distress Alerting

Activated by the press of a button, distress alerting sends critical data to the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC).
  • ID

  • Position

  • Status

"Once a distress alert is confirmed, the highest priority voice call is automatically made directly to the RCC."

Iridium GMDSS Safety Voice

Connect to an RCC and other maritime authorities through a call to share additional details about the distress situation.
  • Hydrographic reporting (navigational dangers)

  • Medical advice and assistance

  • High priority calling

Maritime Safety Information

Maritime Safety Information (MSI) is transmitted through and Enhanced Group Call (EGC) service called Iridium SafetyCastSM.
  • Navigational

  • Safety-related

  • Meteorological

Added Value

Additional features and benefits of the LT-3100S terminal and the Iridium GMDSS service:
  • Shore-to-ship distress calling

  • Standard maritime calling and messaging

  • Maritime assistance

  • Distress alert relay

Establishing a New Standard for Safety at Sea

Inmarsat-C | GMDSS

Today, Inmarsat support both SOLAS and non-SOLAS vessels. Some 1.6 million seafarers depend on the service as a critical communications lifeline that has been proven reliable over the long-term and is not affected by inclement weather.

Inmarsat services and hardware from Cobham's SAILOR mini-C range have been keeping seafarers safe at sea since 1999 when GMDSS was formed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). The solutions deliver critical connectivity through the receipt and transmission of vital ship-to-shore and shore-to-ship distress alerts.

Inmarsat-C 25th Anniversary
Inmarsat-C Cobham SATCOM SAILOR 6110
Inmarsat-C

The Cobham SATCOM SAILOR 6110 mini-C is a true next-generation GMDSS solution.

The SAILOR 6110 mini-C is more than just a way to meet mandatory GMDSS requirements, as part of the innovative SAILOR 6000 Series, it is an integral part of a vessel’s communication system.

The mini-C system features true triple functionality as it safely handles all GMDSS, SSAS and LRIT operation on board.

Photo of iceberg at sea level with half of it submerged in the polar waters
Distress Alerting

Distress alerts are issued when a ship or crew is in imminent danger. When there is no time to input information manually into the terminal, the crew can simply press and hold down the Dedicated Distress Button for approximately five seconds to transmit the alert.

Man on bridge of ship using phone getting support through satellite communications services
Enhanced Group Calls (EGC)

Maritime Safety Information (MSI) and Search and Rescue related information is broadcast over the safety terminals, through SafetyNET, SafetyNET II, RescueNET and FleetNET services.

Data reporting and Polling

Short data reports, up to four data packets, that are sent to shore-based authorities or operational centres, such as Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) of ships, as required by the IMO.
  • Any data that can be encoded into data packets from a shore-based operational centre.

  • Fisheries or catch report

  • Sailing plan

  • Vessel position

Certified ship security alert system (SSAS)

Inmarsat-C is the first-ever approved service that meets the requirements of the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) for Ship Security Alert Systems (SSAS).
  • Safety communications

  • Real-time safety distress

Comply with remote monitoring and tracking

You can cruise in confidence that you are compliant with the IMO requirement for Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) for vessel monitoring and polling.
  • Send data reports back-to-shore including your position, route plan and catch details.

  • Stay connected to your shore-based operations

Related Insights

Maritime Emergency Beacons

Maritime Emergency Beacons ensure vessel and personnel safety on the water by transmitting distress calls via satellite alerting the international search and rescue system and GMDSS with locational insight for them to action support activity.

Dependant on the sea area a vessel intends to sail, the minimum requirement of GMDSS equipment will increase the further a vessel goes from the shoreside into remote waters to ensure optimal safety of the vessel and crew.

Small ship on rough sea relying on satellite communications services GMDSS to stay safe
Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)

Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) equipment provides a portable battery powered emergency locator which is designed specifically to help locate persons or vessels in distress during search and rescue operations. For maritime operations this equipment is a secondary means of distress alerting (i.e. a distress alert needs to have been triggered initially to alert authorities of the distress).

SAILOR-5052-AIS-SART.jpg
Search and Rescue Transponder (SART)

Search and Rescue Transponder (SART) is a self-contained, waterproof transponder intended for emergency use at sea to locate survival craft or distressed vessel.

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Safety Radio

Safety radio is life-saving equipment that under the safety of life at sea convention vessels require to have onboard, regardless of sea area they intend to cover.

The minimum global maritime distress safety system (GMDSS) minimum requirement is minimum of two handheld VHF handsets and at least one VHF digital selective calling (DSC) hardware onboard in order to raise a signal should the vessel or crew come into any bother or danger. The further a vessel travels into far-reaching sea areas the more safety at sea equipment is needed.

SAILOR SP3530: Portable VHF ATEX Radio
VHF (handheld)

Marine very high frequency (VHF) radios enable worldwide communication – the hardware enables two-way radio transceivers on ships and watercraft for voice communication in both ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore environments.

Utilising marine telemetry through satellite communications services to track your vessels such as this cruise ship
Digital Selective Calling (DSC)

Digital Selective Calling is a standard for transmitting safety and distress information via MF, HF and VHF. Calling can be between ship to ship, ship to shore or vice versa.

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