WEATHERNEWS' ASSET SURVEILLANCE & ALARM PROGRAM ENABLES SHIP OWNERS TO COMPLY WITH SSAS REGULATIONS AS IMO DEADLINES APPROACH
World's Largest Marine Forecasting and Ship Routing Company Brings Clarity to a Changing Market
San Francisco, CA, (February 24, 2004) – Weathernews, Inc., the world's largest, publicly-traded, full-service weather company, formerly known as WNI Oceanroutes, today corrected recent misconceptions surrounding the availability of certain ship security alert systems (SSAS). Weathernews reconfirmed to the industry that its Asset Surveillance & Alarm Program (ASAP) is a simple, stand-alone SSAS that will enable ship owners to comply with the IMO's SOLAS XI-2/6 regulation completely and immediately.
"Amidst recent misunderstanding about the validity of certain SSAS solutions, the industry needs to rely on a long-standing, trusted company like Weathernews to clear the air," said Henrik Nørrelykke, President of LandSea Systems, Inc. - a Thrane & Thrane company. "Weathernews' ASAP system is built on the Inmarsat C system which is the most reliable maritime safety platform available. ASAP is fully compliant with the IMO's SSAS regulations."
As a trusted marine industry veteran with over 50 years experience, Weathernews has heard from some of its clients that there may be some confusion in the marketplace as they prepare to meet tight IMO deadlines – the first of which is on 1 July 2004. In particular, questions surrounding the postponement of CN 137 SSAS terminal activation have been brought to Weathernews' attention, and the company requested Inmarsat to comment on the topic.
According to Brian Mullan, Head of Safety Services at Inmarsat, “We want people to know that Weathernews' ASAP solution is a completely viable option for meeting their SSAS needs. The Weathernews ASAP solution is available on Inmarsat C or D+ platforms, and it is not affected by our temporary suspension of CN 137 SSAS terminal activation.”
Weathernews' ASAP system has been Type Approved by Class Societies such as the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). It is an Internet-enabled interactive tool that is simple-to-install and easy-to-use. Alarms are self-contained units consisting of the following:
 |
Data protection, with secure access to a high-speed server |
|
An integrated satellite/GPS transceiver connected to a vessel's main power system |
|
Inmarsat C or D+ satellite communications |
|
Back-up battery in case of lost power |
| |
Weather Alerts – SMS text bulletins about specific, user-defined weather information sent directly to the phone |
|
Two external panic buttons – (Extra panic buttons can be added based on customer requirements.) |
Once the alarms are activated, a signal is sent to the designated authorities as defined by the client and by the SOLAS regulation. The ship's exact location at activation time is indicated, so fleet managers can quickly send help to any ships in distress. Additionally, ASAP is completely customized to client specifications, so companies that must include tolerances for military operations can meet those requirements.
“The looming IMO deadlines to install ship security alert systems led us to research a number of solutions," said Weathernews customer and General Manager of Taiwan Navigation Company, Mr. Teng Chen. "We selected Weathernews' ASAP system because the company has extensive expertise in helping improve ship safety and efficiency, and we wanted to ensure we were able to meet the IMO regulations while also meeting our own business goals."
Weathernews is the industry leader with the capabilities to help companies comply with the SOLAS regulation while also helping them meet their business goals and boost their bottom lines. With a comprehensive package of modular services for security, voyage tracking & projection, vessel efficiency and safety, Weathernews can tailor a unique solution for clients' businesses to help them improve efficiency, save time and more easily manage certain costs.
“Over the past fifty years, Weathernews has become a trusted service provider for some of the largest marine clients in the world, in part because we have met the unique needs of our customers,” said Greg Cox, Director of Marine Business Development at Weathernews Americas Inc. “We are confident that our ASAP system will continue to meet their individual needs and earn their continued trust for at least fifty more years to come.”
Weathernews Americas Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Weathernews, Inc. Based in Japan, Weathernews, Inc. is the world's largest, publicly-traded, full-service weather company (TSE#1, 4825). A global organization with 38 offices in 14 countries, Weathernews delivers customized, risk communication services to businesses and individuals whose lives or livelihoods are affected by the weather. With over 12,000 business customers and 1,000,000 wireless subscribers worldwide, the company consistently evaluates and evolves existing applications for weather information while exploring additional markets and industries which would benefit operationally and financially from specific weather information and delivery methods. Currently, Weathernews delivers weather information, analysis and risk communication services to some of the largest companies in agriculture, aviation, energy, marine, media, offshore oil and retail. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.weathernews.com.
# # #