Tag: satellites

Satellite monitoring leads to pollution conviction, imagery captures tanker's pollution

Canadian firm tracks Earth s ships from space

Seafarers Influence on the Satellite Communication Still Under the Radar

EU: Tentative agreement on European satellite navigation systems

DMA focuses on safety of navigation in Arctic waters

Satellites see Unprecedented Greenland Ice Sheet M

Ahoy! Your ship is being tracked from orbit

Satellites show that environmental conditions have limited recent pirate activity Piracy may be a topic of schoolboy adventure stories, but it's still a dangerous and costly problem for merchant shipping and tourism in some parts of the world. In the pirate-ridden waters of the Indian Ocean, satellites show that environmental conditions have limited recent pirate activity.Attacks and hijackings of ships by Somali pirates in waters off the Horn of Africa have sharply increased in recent years, and show no sign of waning.Somali pirates account for over half of attacks worldwide. But while the number of attacks per year continues to increase, 2011 saw a 40% drop in 'successful' attacks - or hijackings - compared to the previous year.The drop in successful attacks could be due to a number of factors such as increased security - but satellites show that climate is also controlling piracy.In a study by the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) using information from ESA's GlobWave project, climate factors were examined alongside piracy in the Indian Ocean.GlobWave compiles satellite data on ocean waves. Satellites can help to forecast winds and waves, and can therefore indicate favourable conditions for pirate attacks.Owing to security problems in the region, no in ...

For gathering data to help predict natural disasters and monitor shipping movements. Russia is interested in the growing push to design and launch microsatellites, according to Voice of Russia.The news site says Russia's Space Systems Company hopes that microsats - satellites which, like its original Sputnik, weigh less than 100kg but are much more capable - can gather data to help predict natural disasters and monitor shipping movements.The company's head, Yuri Urlichich, is quoted by Voice of Russia as claiming that RSSC detected a surge in free electrons in the ionosphere, seven hours ahead of last year's disastrous Japan earthquake. He suggests that microsatellites would be a better way of collecting such data than trying to establish earth-bound monitoring stations to try and predict earthquakes.The other application identified by Urlichich is to identify ships in proximity to each other, to make passage of narrow straits easier and safer.Microsatellites - satellites weighing less than 100kg - are attracting increasing attention as shrinking and lower-power electronics reduces the bulk of systems that satellites have to carry. They bring their own challenges, however, since their small size reduces the availability of the fuel needed for maneuvers to keep the satellite on-station.That hasn't stopped ...

Vessels with satellite phones onboard must include the phone(s) particulars The Director General of India has recently issued DGS Order No.02 of 2012 which bans the use of Thuraya, Iridium, and other satellite phones in India and in Indian waters under section six (6) of Indian Wireless Act section 20 of Indian Telegraph Act.Satellite phones may still be used on a case by case basis but only after a No Objection Certificate is applied for and issued by the Department of Telecommunications (DOT)Vessels with satellite phones onboard must include the phone(s) particulars when submitting their Pre Arrival Notification on Security (PANS).Members should be aware that there are Thuraya handsets that have a dual-mode feature that allows them to operate as satellite phones and GSM terrestrial mobile phones; this may impact use of these phones in India as GSM phones until the No Objection Certificate has been issued.Source: The North of England P&I Club