January 15, 1977 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News

Prudential Lines Signs Contract For MARISAT Terminals For Entire LASH Fleet

Prudential Lines, Inc. recently signed a contract for leasing three additional MARISAT communications terminals for its entire fleet of LASH (lighter-aboard-ship) cargo vessels serving the Mediterranean-Mideast.

It marks the first time, according to Spyros S. Skouras, chairman and chief executive officer of Prudential, that an American-flag carrier has ordered this satellite communications equipment for more than a single ship.

MARISAT provides modern 24-hour telephone, telex and facsimile communications between the shore and ships anywhere in the world. It has been in operation on the Prudential LASH Atlantico for over six months.

The terminals are being leased from COMSAT General Corp., Washington, D.C. COMSAT General is manager of MARISAT, the first maritime satellite communications system in existence. Communications travel by microwave frequencies which are unaffected by atmospheric conditions that limit hours of usage by conventional radio.

With the addition of the three new Prudential installations on its LASH vessels, there will be a total of 36 such terminals providing communications via MARISAT for shipping and offshore drilling purposes throughout the world.

As a result of its success with the terminals on the Atlantico, Prudential will install others on the LASH Pacifico, the LASH Turkiye and the LASH Italia. Antennas will be placed above deck and consoles below deck in the radio rooms of the vessels.

Satellites in the maritime system are stationed in synchronous orbit 22,240 miles above the Equator over the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Each can serve an area covering about one-third of the earth's surface.

Prudential vessels will be served by the Atlantic area satellite, which fully covers all the company's Mediterranean-Mideast routes.

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