Thuraya Launches SatTrack, a Tracking and Monitoring Service for its Maritime Customers

 3 June 2021

Thuraya, the Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) subsidiary of the UAE-based Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), has launched its web-based SatTrack maritime tracking and monitoring service in partnership with FrontM, a leading international developer of software applications. Developed for vessels and fleets serviced by the Thuraya MarineStar Solution (supporting voice, tracking and monitoring), SatTrack facilitates sustainable fishing practices, improved crew welfare and safety, better fleet visibility and management, and also onboard real time condition monitoring.

The transition to digitization is changing the maritime sector globally. However, the pace of change is slow, because the overall costs of integrating and maintaining third-party services are still high. A low-cost turnkey subscription-based service, Thuraya’s SatTrack helps MarineStar users stay in command and gain vital market advantage, while ensuring compliance with national and international fishing laws and regulations. Subscribers do not have to delve into multiple layers of data for comprehensive insights. The online system displays the information reported from onboard MarineStar terminals on a user-friendly dashboard. Moreover, it can create and monitor geo-fences, produce detailed maps, customized alerts, weather and position reports at preset intervals based on user requirements.

SatTrack extends the GPIO functionality of Thuraya MarineStar, which supports third-party integrations. By monitoring asset activities, owners and operators are able to make critical decisions efficiently, resulting in huge cost savings. SatTrack also enables whitelisting and blacklisting of call numbers, effectively putting checks on the expenses accrued by crews.

Underscoring the multiple advantages of the new service, Thuraya’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Sulaiman Al Ali said, “Backed by several add-ons and the inbuilt voice capabilities of Thuraya MarineStar, SatTrack complements as an intuitive, feature-rich yet easy-to-use tracking and monitoring platform that generates a lot of value for its users. Unhindered, real-time access to the latest fishing reports, weather information, news and other notifications can make all the difference to the profitability of the operations. Thuraya SatTrack opens up a new world of instant communication from onshore teams for offshore operations. Backed by a flexible pricing model based on usage, it protects customers from bill shock and amplifies the benefits of Thuraya MarineStar - making it a best-in-class, end-to-end tracking and monitoring solution that gives users the upper hand.”

Highlighting the efficiencies of the new service, Thuraya’s Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, Jassem Nasser said, “SatTrack significantly improves offshore monitoring possibilities, besides increasing the effectiveness of communications with vessels and levels of compliance with maritime laws and regulations. While a majority of owners readily acknowledge that their vessels should be connected to the internet, they still think of remote monitoring in terms of conventional connectivity using expensive bandwidth. When bundled with the Thuraya MarineStar solution, SatTrack presents an extremely viable, reliable and cost-effective operating model that is instantly advantageous to the ship owners and operators.”

As the demand for compliance and related information grows exponentially, satellite connectivity and smart applications have become the most convenient and affordable means of ship-to-shore and inter-ship communications. SatTrack delivers, critical updates about vessels anywhere within Thuraya’s network, spanning 80% of the world’s fishing hubs. Aside from producing catch reports and detailed logs about permitted fish types and gear, it systematically records the locations of customers’ active vessels, triggering alerts, when they enter special protected zones. Additionally, the areas earmarked by the local fishing authorities can be remotely configured in the terminal, so that regulatory bodies and buyers can validate whether the catch brought ashore is legally caught and fresh.

Besides ensuring greater seafarer safety through its SOS configurations, the SatTrack’s alert mechanism is handy during search and rescue operations. Key beneficiaries of these functions include civil defense agencies and organizations with varied maritime interests such as police, port authorities, coast guards, transport authorities, coastal surveillance bodies as well as agriculture and fisheries ministries.