Satellite AIS data contract aids ship tracking

The maritime information service provider has extended its contract with ORBCOMM Inc. to the end of 2023 for ORBCOMM’s satellite AIS data used for ship tracking and other maritime navigational and safety efforts. MarineTraffic has been an ORBCOMM partner since 2013.

“We are delighted to extend our long-standing relationship with ORBCOMM for another three years,” said Demitris Memos, MarineTraffic’s chief executive officer.

MarineTraffic combines ORBCOMM’s comprehensive AIS data with positional data from their network of land-based receiving stations to provide actionable maritime intelligence solutions and improve the maritime ecosystem.

By leveraging ORBCOMM’s reliable, high-performance AIS service, MarineTraffic helps their government and commercial customers enable maritime domain awareness, search and rescue, environmental monitoring and maritime intelligence applications. In addition, MarineTraffic will explore ORBCOMM’s other monitoring solutions as part of their efforts to expand their offering for the shipping industry and provide complete supply-chain visibility.

ORBCOMM continues to advance its AIS business by enhancing its satellite AIS service with two new, next-generation AIS CubeSats, which are expected to expand coverage of ORBCOMM’s constellation, increase visibility to smaller Class B ships and extend its polar footprint with launches planned on separate missions within the next year.

In addition, ORBCOMM is working with AAC Clyde Space and Saab to develop a next-generation, space-based VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) satellite, expected to launch in 2022, which will provide more extensive global coverage, increased bandwidth and enhanced versatility.

By Rebecca Jeffrey