Satamatics' miniature SAT-101 intelligent mobile satellite terminal is specifically designed for long-range asset tracking, remote monitoring, Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) and Ship Security Alert Systems (SSAS).
SAT-101 forms a key component of customised direct-to-desktop, end-to-end solutions for the maritime industry. The SAT-101 terminal, with its integral GPS receiver, enables shipping lines, barge and fleet operators, fishing fleets, harbour authorities, charter companies and individual owners to track the location, speed and heading of their vessels, from any desktop or laptop with an Internet connection.
With extensive input/output ports, the SAT-101 can be connected to multiple sensors for monitoring the status of on-board systems, such as fuel and water levels, as well as door and hatch security. A panic button can also be installed, to provide a discreet method of transmitting a ship-to-shore alert signal in security-threatened situations. The terminal is an integral part of Ship Security Alert Systems (SSAS) which are being implemented to meet the requirements of the SOLAS convention Regulation XI-2/5. The technology also assists with compliance of SOLAS Regulation XI-2/3, which encompasses the International Ship and Port Facilities Security Code (ISPS Code).
Peter Chisholm, CEO of UK-based Satamatics Ltd, commented:
"The launch of our SAT-101 terminal reinforces our position at the leading edge of the telematics industry. It is the key element in expanding our market to include the widest possible customer base - across numerous sectors of the commercial and leisure maritime industries. A constant watch can be kept on a vessel's position and status from anywhere in the world, whatever its location, and whether in port or on passage. Our terminal's design concept has been focused from the outset on providing the maximum flexibility for our customers, while offering very low operating costs and demonstrating highly significant savings at many levels, in addition to its security benefits. It makes long-range tracking an economic reality for any vessel and, for example, it enables logistics and freight handling services to optimise synchronisation with land transport. The SAT-101 is available as an integral part of the Satamatics service, which provides seamless roaming across the world's continents and oceans, and includes delivery of status reports via easy-to-use display interfaces, accessible via standard web browsers."
The Satamatics SAT-101 terminal incorporates a number of powerful facilities into an ultra-compact transceiver unit:
The SAT-101 will transmit reports at specified intervals, as well as sending alert messages when a user-defined condition has been met or exceeded. For example, when a particular destination has been reached, a fishing vessel has moved outside a designated zone, or when the status of an on-board system, such as the temperature of a refrigerated hold, has reached a critical level. The terminal can also be polled to provide on-demand information. A vessel's location and ETA, along with status report messages, can be remotely monitored on scalable marine charts to give shore-side operations a constant overview - from a single vessel to an entire fleet.
A two-way communications device, the SAT-101 can be used for text messaging with the vessel and for remote control of on-board systems. Incorporating a 12-channel GPS receiver for high-accuracy location reporting, the SAT-101 consumes minimal power for long-term unattended operation, and can be powered from its battery pack, the vessel's supply, or a solar panel. The unit would be programmed to transmit reports at intervals varying from minutes to hours, with the exact interval being determined by the particular application. Effectively, the terminal is "asleep" between transmissions, hence its low power consumption. By pressing a panic button, the message transmission frequency can be dramatically increased - for example, to every few minutes - enabling Search and Rescue authorities to be provided with rapidly updating position reports.
The SAT-101's eight programmable I/O ports can interface with a variety of external sensors and systems. Combined with the unit's built-in data processing intelligence, the ports allow status information about parameters such as fuel levels, wind speed, the level of water in a vessel's bilges, and even warnings of illegal door openings to be gathered and stored, and transmitted direct to the customer. The terminal's remote system-monitoring capabilities also make it suitable for deployment on buoys and offshore platforms, for environmental monitoring purposes.
The SAT-101 terminal's ultra-compact dimensions assist with its unobtrusive installation, and it is supplied complete with a sophisticated, low-profile antenna, which maintains satellite contact down to very low elevation angles. Full advantage can be taken of the satellite footprints, out to the extremes of their coverage, to ensure effective service availability throughout the world.