Page 50: of Marine News Magazine (April 2012)

50MNApril 2012The North American brown water operator has official- ly grown up. As firms embrace new technologies to run a more efficient, cost-effective and profitable fleets, this involves upgraded equipment, better trained personnel and software to streamline management functions. Tying all of it together is new and improved SATCOM commu- nications. Market penetration in this sector is estimated to be less than 10 percent of all self-propelled vessels, in marked contrast to the deep sea markets where some esti- mate coverage to have reached 70 percent of all hulls. With most inland operators ramping up with manage- ment software solutions to USCG subchapter M regula- tions, more than 5,000 vessels will be affected in the United States alone. All of that data and recordkeeping will, of course, need to be transmitted back and forth in a timely and secure manner between boat and shore. As data demands increase, so will the demand for more robust ways to move that information. Up until now, SATCOM has been perceived to be too expensive, and frankly, some- what of a mystery. Thats changing. IRIDIUMSOPEN PORT SOLUTION ? ANDMORE Ted OBrien is Vice President, Americas at Iridium Communications Inc., a satellite communications compa- ny that offers global voice and data coverage. OBrien, responsible for customer accounts in the Americas, as well as defining Iridium's targeted markets. He counts the rap- idly burgeoning inland market as a key niche for his firm. Selling through distributors to achieve maximum mar- ket reach in selected markets, Iridium lists more than 523,000 global customers. According to OBrien, Iridium boasts a unique satellite environment ? truly global cover- age to every point on earth. He explains, Were the only provider to do so. You can dial one number to get a par- ticular ship, no matter where it is on the planet.? Today, OBrien and Iridium are actively studying traffic patterns and volume to determine where coming trends are and to understand business opportunities. The largely untapped inland market is one of them. OBrien touts his firms reliability, global reach and its ongoing modernization program, Iridium NEXT. Fully financed and launching soon, Iridium NEXT will main- tain the existing Iridium constellation architecture of 66 cross-linked low-Earth orbiting (LEO) satellites covering 100 percent of the globe. Iridium NEXT will substantial- ly enhance and extend Iridium mobile communications services. The massive billion dollar infrastructure upgrade is planned to begin launching satellites commencing2015, with all intended to be operational by 2017. This will allow more robust data transfers and regional coverage will commence sooner as the birds go up. OBrien says that Iridium will not try to be all things to all people. At the same time, he points to Iridiums newest offering, Iridium Pilot, powered by the Iridium OpenPort Satcom Arrives in Brown Water Evolving needs of workboat and inland operators and a largely untapped market both point to SATCOMs next big target. Today, Iridium are actively studying traffic patterns and volume to determine where coming trends are and to understand oppor- tunities. The largely untapped inland market is one of them. Ted OBrien is VP, Americas, Iridium Communications