Inmarsat C Alert Helps Repel Pirate Attack
Source: Inmarsat Newsroom
On 11 Feb 2009, Inmarsat C helped to repel pirates who tried to attack a bulk carrier in the Indian Ocean.
The 53,500 DWT vessel was approximately 100 miles south east of Socotra Island when the attack happened.
Five pirates armed with rocket-propelled grenades and assault guns approached and attempted to board. They fired towards the accommodation section and the ship then alerted naval units in the vicinity via an Inmarsat C distress priority piracy alert.
The pirates broke off the attack because of the response from one of the naval units, and were also deterred by the sea swell and evasive manoeuvring carried out by the vessel.
How Do Inmarsat Piracy Alerts Work?
The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) receives piracy alerts from ships and then broadcasts detailed piracy alerts to all ships in the ocean region using the Inmarsat C SafetyNET system.
Inmarsat’s head of maritime safety services Brian Mullan said: “This shows how effective Inmarsat C can be in not only sending out distress priority alerts from ships but also as a highly effective means of receiving the latest information which will alert the ship’s master to incidents in his area.”
About SafetyNET
The Inmarsat C maritime mobile satellite system has an inherent capability, known as Enhanced Group Call (EGC), which allows broadcast messages to be made to selected groups of ship stations located anywhere within a satellite’s coverage.
Two types of EGC services are available: SafetyNET and FleetNET. FleetNET is a commercial messaging service offered by Inmarsat, and is not recognized by the Global Maritime Distress & Safety System (GMDSS). SafetyNET, along with NAVTEX, is recognized by the GMDSS as the primary means for disseminating maritime safety information. Ships regulated by the Safety of Life at Sea Convention travelling outside areas covered by NAVTEX have been required to carry an Inmarsat C SafetyNET receiver since February 1999.
