Thuraya Telecommunications Company, the mobility arm of the UAE’s flagship satellite solutions provider, Yahsat, has launched a new multi-language software for Thuraya MarineStar, its maritime voice, tracking and monitoring solution.
The new firmware, ‘MNB_2.0_ML’, offers a range of features to boost productivity and optimise workflow on vessels and enhance compliance with international maritime regulations over a secure network.
Since its launch in 2019, the MarineStar has witnessed success in international maritime markets, with more than 29,000 devices sold. As an entry-level solution, it is built on the same voice platform that has sold more than one million Thuraya satellite voice devices.
It enables tracking and monitoring, in addition to voice communications, hence vessel operators do not have to invest more into their tracking systems or a brand-new tracking application.
MarineStar’s new 2.0 ML firmware upgrades the terminal’s geofencing and air programme capabilities, enhancing its tracking, monitoring, fish catch reporting and integration capabilities along with 7 languages in one software package.
Additionally, it introduces a new reporting mechanism for fishing and port call status, which benefits vessel owners and maritime port authorities. The game-changing software enables analysis of fishing locations along with the duration of fishing activity. This feature reduces the risk of overfishing and ensures compliance with national and international regulations for sustainable fishing.
Yahsat’s Chief Commercial Officer Sulaiman Al Ali said: “Thuraya has a customer-centric mindset that allows us to innovate and provide the end-user with efficient yet affordable technology, tailored for their day-to-day business needs. The new MarineStar software gives users an even stronger competitive advantage, which is unrivalled in the marine communications market. We are developing state-of-the-art technological solutions for the advancement of the maritime and fishing industries that directly contribute to the growth of a sustainable blue economy.”
Currently, the fishing industry contributes 1.5% of global GDP. The recent COVID-19 pandemic, ongoing international conflicts, and weather variations due to climate change mean that there is a continuous need to equip the fishing community with communication solutions that can adapt rapidly to changing circumstances. The inspiration for the new software was customers’ need for an adaptive platform to increase business efficiency and productivity without incurring unexpected charges.
Resilient to harsh environments, Thuraya MarineStar digitalises critical applications such as SOS, fish catch reporting, vessel tracking and monitoring. Its performance is further enhanced when combined with Thuraya’s affordable turnkey web-based tracking and monitoring service, SatTrack for Marine. SatTrack provides users with an online dashboard that displays data from Thuraya MarineStar terminals and enables fish catch reporting for further analysis.
