EMA BlueTraker VMS to be Installed on More Than 200 Ships

March 08, 2011

EMA Group (EMA) announced that the Albanian government has awarded the company a contract to implement Iridium-based Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) for the country’s commercial fishing fleet. 

The contract, issued by the European Union (EU) Delegation to Albania, together with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Water Administration of the Republic of Albania, provides for monitoring and control of the fishing vessels in accordance with the requirements of the EU Commission. 

Under the contract, EMA will install its BlueTraker VMS transponders on more than 200 Albanian fishing craft. The EMA BlueTraker VMS is an intelligent hybrid tracking transponder that uses the Iridium satellite short-burst data (SBD) service to transmit vessel coordinates when the ships are out of range of shore-based wireless networks. 

“Leveraging the unique pole-to-pole global coverage of the Iridium network, the BlueTraker VMS provides the most reliable and cost-effective tracking, monitoring, control and surveillance services worldwide,” said Zlatko Mastnak, CEO of EMA. “In addition, the BlueTraker VMS is also e-logbook ready, in accordance with EU regulations that mandate electronic reporting and monitoring requirements on commercial fishing operations.” 

“Iridium’s high network quality and low-latency two-way data links provide a robust and reliable monitoring solution for ship owners to meet the EU position reporting regulations,” said Greg Ewert, executive vice president, global distribution channels, Iridium. “Iridium is the only satellite system that offers consistent coverage over all the world’s navigable waters.”