Maritime Hardware

Fleet Broadband Offers Enhanced Saftey At Sea

For any oceangoing vessel, big or small, safety communications is of utmost importance. Inmarsat has, throughout its existence, strived to provide the broadest and most efficient means of enabling the seafarer to make contact with the appropriate authorities in times of distress or trouble. The new voice distress service is designed to enhance the safety for any vessel where the add-on is fitted to a FleetBroadband terminal.

How does the voice distress service work?

The voice distress service utilises FleetBroadband to provide priority call access - interrupting all non-distress calls - either ship-to-shore or shore-to-ship, as soon as the - red distress button - on the alarm panel is pressed. The caller will then be connected to an operator at one of three Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres (MRCCs) strategically located around the globe.

Vessels without access to the voice distress service and who need emergency assistance can still make emergency calls by using the 505 Emergency Calling facility available on all FleetBrodband terminals as standard. These calls are routed to an MRCC but do not have priority access.

Hardware requirements

Voice distress calls can only be made on Thrane & Thrane Sailor FleetBroadband terminals, where a Sailor 3771 alarm panel add-on has been installed.

Quick facts

• Offers voice distress call access with priority and pre-emption
• Available via a Thrane & Thrane Sailor 3771 alarm panel
• Available on Thrane & Thrane Sailor FleetBroadband 500, 250 and 150 terminals
• Calls are directed to one of three Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres
• Distress and urgency priority calls are free-of-charge