Search & Rescue gets some help

"Search and rescue assistance for vessels off the coast of Africa has been enhanced by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) with help from Inmarsat and three of its partners.

The east coast of Africa and the Indian Ocean will be safe two new regional search and rescue (SAR) centres

The new centres, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Victoria in the Seychelles add to the existing Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) in Mombasa, Kenya, first opened in May 2006.

All three rescue centres were commissioned by the IMO’s Secretary-General Efthimios Mitropoulos and transport ministers in each country.

Necessary satellite equipment for all three centres provided Inmarsat manufacturer partners Thrane & Thrane, Japan Radio Company (JRC) and Nera (now owned by Thrane & Thrane) free of charge.

The MRCCs will use the Inmarsat C or mini-C services, supplemented in each location with two Fleet F77 terminals.
Inmarsat head of maritime safety services Brian Mullan was instrumental in co-ordinating the supply of the essential satellite communications equipment from the three manufacturers.

“Without the generous support of the Inmarsat manufacturers, it would have been extremely difficult for these three centres to have been equipped to such a high standard,” said Brian.

“They willingly co-operated with the request for practical support by the IMO’s International Search and Rescue Fund. Their assistance is highly valued by the maritime community, which is fully familiar with their onboard equipment.”

Inmarsat’s chief executive Andy Sukawaty also signed a five-year agreement in 2005 to support the IMO’s International SAR fund with US$50,000."

Source: satprnews