Iridium Communications Inc. announced a historic achievement with the launch of the Iridium Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) service.
With it, for the first time in history, Iridium has given seafarers a real time emergency response and rescue service. No other maritime emergency response system matches the coverage and real time communications capability of the Iridium GMDSS service.
GMDSS is an internationally regulated service, governed by the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention. It provides life-saving assistance to seafarers in distress and has required equipment on board more than 60,000 ships today, with many ships carrying multiple terminals.
Iridium's service functions much like an international SOS button, however, unlike other options it includes as standard real-time emergency voice calling service, distress alert (SOS button) and maritime safety information with Iridium's unmatched truly global coverage.
Iridium's GMDSS service is built on the company's upgraded $3 billion satellite network, completed in 2019, and utilizes the company's valuable L-band satellite spectrum. This spectrum serves as a weather-resilient complement to other satellite broadband capabilities on ships, aircraft and vehicles and is also a requirement for GMDSS terminals on SOLAS-class vessels.
With over 1.4 million subscribers around the world, including communications systems on tens of thousands of ships and aircraft today, Iridium's GMDSS service launch epitomizes the company's commitment and tradition of creating a safer environment for the approximately 85% of the world that lacks any or reliable cell phone coverage.
As the successor to safety measures originally established after the sinking of the RMS Titanic, the technological capabilities of the GMDSS have now reached a new pinnacle with voice, data, and maritime safety information (MSI) all available through one affordable terminal.
The first terminal available is the Lars Thrane LT-3100S, which combines the three key GMDSS service distress alert, distress voice and MSI. It can be used for both primary and emergency ship communications. The combination of all three services in one cost-effective terminal is a first for the industry and one that makes the GMDSS even more accessible to smaller vessels that may not otherwise be able to afford the equipment.
Here's how it works: Once a vessel holds down the red 'distress' button, indicating that it needs assistance, a signal is immediately routed through the Iridium satellite network and delivered in moments to a designated Rescue Coordination Center (RCC).
Unique to the Iridium system, this is then followed automatically by a distress phone call, allowing the vessel to immediately speak with the RCC. The RCC then can quickly understand the nature of the emergency, while also alerting nearby vessels and local search and rescue authorities to provide the required immediate assistance. ■