Thuraya launches a tracking and monitoring service for maritime customers
Thuraya, the Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) subsidiary of the UAE- based Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), has launched its web-based SatTrack maritime tracking and monitoring service in partnership with FrontM, a leading international developer of software applications, according to the company's release.
Developed for vessels and fleets serviced by the Thuraya MarineStar Solution (supporting voice, tracking and monitoring), SatTrack facilitates sustainable fishing practices, improved crew welfare and safety, better fleet visibility and management, and also onboard real time condition monitoring.
The transition to digitization is changing the maritime sector globally. However, the pace of change is slow, because the overall costs of integrating and maintaining third-party services are still high. A low- cost turnkey subscription-based service, Thuraya’s SatTrack helps MarineStar users stay in command and gain vital market advantage, while ensuring compliance with national and international fishing laws and regulations. Subscribers do not have to delve into multiple layers of data for comprehensive insights.
The online system displays the information reported from onboard MarineStar terminals on a user-friendly dashboard. Moreover, it can create and monitor geo-fences, produce detailed maps, customized alerts, weather and position reports at preset intervals based on user requirements. SatTrack extends the GPIO functionality of Thuraya MarineStar, which supports third-party integrations. By monitoring asset activities, owners and operators are able to make critical decisions efficiently, resulting in huge cost savings. SatTrack also enables whitelisting and blacklisting of call numbers, effectively putting checks on the expenses accrued by crews.
As the demand for compliance and related information grows exponentially, satellite connectivity and smart applications have become the most convenient and affordable means of ship-to-shore and inter- ship communications. SatTrack delivers, critical updates about vessels anywhere within Thuraya’s network, spanning 80% of the world’s fishing hubs. Aside from producing catch reports and detailed logs about permitted fish types and gear, it systematically records the locations of customers’ active vessels, triggering alerts, when they enter special protected zones.
Additionally, the areas earmarked by the local fishing authorities can be remotely configured in the terminal, so that regulatory bodies and buyers can validate whether the catch brought ashore is legally caught and fresh. Besides ensuring greater seafarer safety through its SOS configurations, the SatTrack’s alert mechanism is handy during search and rescue operations. Key beneficiaries of these functions include civil defense agencies and organizations with varied maritime interests such as police, port authorities, coast guards, transport authorities, coastal surveillance bodies as well as agriculture and fisheries ministries. Thuraya’s Customer Care team is providing round-the-clock technical support for the service.
About Thuraya Telecommunications Company
Thuraya, is the mobile satellite services subsidiary of the Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), a leading global satellite operator based in the UAE, fully owned by Mubadala Investment Company. In 2020, Yahsat commenced construction of Thuraya 4-NGS, the next generation telecommunications system for Thuraya, which is due to be in service by 2024. Established in 1997, Thuraya offers innovative communications solutions to a variety of sectors including maritime, energy, government, broadcast media, military, aerospace and humanitarian NGO. Thuraya’s superior network enables clear communications and uninterrupted coverage across two- thirds of the globe by MSS, global VSAT coverage and around the world through its unique GSM roaming capabilities. The company’s diverse range of technologically advanced and dependable mobile satellite handsets and broadband devices provide ease of use, value, quality and efficiency. Through relevant partnerships, Thuraya stays ahead by delivering solutions and supporting applications that meet the rapidly transforming nature of market demands.