Pole Star once again finds itself in the Sunday Times Tech Track 100; this year coming in at 59th. This is the third time in four years that Pole Star has featured in the newspaper's top 100 technology companies and demonstrates that Pole Star is continuing to sustain a significant rate of development. Sales growth was up 63%, according to the company's entry, with 2005 sales hitting £4.7m as compared with £1.8 two years before. This year the company has achieved a number of important milestones. Its suite of ship security products have been redesigned and relaunched; its first Flag Administration Vessel Tracking System is now in operation; and in August, the company broke new ground as it reported that it is now tracking more than 10,000 assets on a continuous basis.

Pole Star’s asset-tracking capability came to the fore once again during the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club’s (RHKYC) Vietnam Race 2006 in which 13 yachts took part in late October. As in the RHKYC’s China Sea Race earlier in the year, Skywave Mobile communications provided the hardware enabling each yacht to be permanently tracked by race officials and enthusiasts ashore, as the boats raced between Hong Kong and Nga Trang in Vietnam. Fans were able to log on to the RHKYC’s site and monitor the progress of competitors every hour.

Adding significantly to race safety procedures, Pole Star was able to provide race organisers with a “yacht-polling” capability through its web-based satellite tracking system powered by PurpleFinder. Real-time positions were potentially available for all of the competing vessels throughout the race.

“We were delighted to be able to demonstrate the versatility of our asset-tracking system once again,” said Shayne Gent, Pole Star’s Asia Pacific Sales Manager. “Fans of the race ashore could monitor the progress of individual boats whilst the polling capability added significantly to race safety. We have a number of leisure marine products currently under development and we are very excited about the potential of the leisure market,” he added.

As Pole Star continues to broaden its product base and expand its distributor network, the company has announced a Distributor Conference, organised to coincide with this year’s Shipbuilding, Machinery and Marine Technology International Trade Fair (SMM) in Hamburg at the end of September. Scheduled for the afternoon and evening of Thursday September 28th, the conference will provide an opportunity for Pole Star executives to update distributors on the company’s expanding portfolio of products, its corporate development and its growing network of distributors and Approved Service Centres.

“Our network is expanding and strengthening all the time,” says Pole Star Sales Manager Anna Hilliard, “and the conference will provide an excellent opportunity to remind our distributors of the resulting benefits for customers. Our service levels are second-to-none and we are also keen to explain to distributors how ship owners and managers can now integrate the various types of SSAS units in operation across their fleet into one screen and one system."

The company’s latest new distributor is Mobilkom of Turkey which will lend extra weight to the company’s service and support network in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Leading fleet management, asset tracking and ship security specialist, Pole Star Space Applications Ltd, today announced another initiative to help ship owners and operators manage the Ship Security Alert Systems (SSAS) in operation across their fleets more effectively. Now the company is offering a full integration service so that shipping companies with a range of different hardware onboard their vessels can consolidate them all into one system, using Pole Star’s Alert Advanced product based on the company’s market leading web-based Purplefinder software.

David Plumer, Pole Star Chief Executive, explains: “Our strategy is to make managing these systems as simple as possible for owners and operators. Originally, ship managers would have opted for one type of SSAS system or another, but ships are bought and sold, and are in and out of management all the time. Companies have ended up with a range of different types of hardware and software systems across their fleets. This is extremely inconvenient for them.

“Now we can integrate various different types of SSAS hardware into our Alert Advanced product so an owner or manager can see his whole fleet on one screen and manage alerts and messages over one system. This will make managing fleet-wide SSAS systems much simpler in future,” says David.

Pole Star has introduced a number of initiatives in recent months aimed at streamlining the adoption of SSAS technology. Earlier this year, the company launched a three part suite of new SSAS management products
designed to suit the requirements of all customers. Its pre-paid Alert Basic system ensures minimum compliance with IMO performance standards while the mid-range Alert Plus product provides more functionality and is available on an annual fee basis. The company’s top-of-the-range Alert Advanced product has still more features, including choice of tracking frequency, a polling function for instant position reporting, online marine charts and global weather forecasting.

Following on from the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee's (MSC) move to introduce new tougher SSAS performance standards with effect from July 1st 2006, Pole Star announced that other manufacturers’ SSAS equipment that failed to meet the new standards can now be integrated into Pole Star’s Alert Advanced product. At the time, David pointed out that by integrating many types of hardware into their Alert Advanced product, Pole Star can now ensure that an operator’s whole fleet immediately complies with the new IMO standards.

The MSC had declared that ship security alerts should provide the name of the ship, its IMO identification number, call sign, maritime mobile service identity and the ship’s position, together with date and time. But some
systems do not transmit all of this data, leaving recipients ashore in doubt as to the identity of the vessel transmitting the alert. SSAS equipment that does not provide all of the necessary information will have to be upgraded or replaced by the first Safety Radio Survey after July 1st 2006, the date by which so-called Category 2 vessels – container vessels, general cargo ships and reefers of over 500 gross tons – must have SSAS units in operation on board.

According to David, the fact that Pole Star can integrate other manufacturers’ hardware into its own Alert Advanced system, thereby meeting the IMO’s new performance standards, while at the same time offering ship
operators a fleet-wide SSAS solution – on one screen and in one system – should improve efficiency and help the management of security systems across a fleet of ships. “We have the most flexible and cost-effective Ship
Security Alert System on the market,” he says.

With offices in London and Hong Kong, Pole Star provides satellite-enabled asset tracking systems, security and fleet management systems, remote monitoring and telematics solutions to more than 500 leading companies in
the shipping, marine support, petroleum, gas, logistics and freight industries. In addition, several governments, flag states and regulatory bodies use Pole Star products. Today, the company continuously tracks over 9,000 ocean-going vessels and other assets.

Ship owners and operators have until the first Safety Radio Survey after July 1st 2006 to ensure that their Ship Security Alert Systems meet new performance standards, following a decision by the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) at its 81st meeting in London last month. The MSC’s move could mean that many ship operators will have to upgrade the Ship Security Alert Systems in operation across their fleets.

However, leading ship security and asset tracking specialist, Pole Star Space Applications Ltd, has an immediately available solution which could save time and money for ship operators whose systems do not meet the IMO’s new requirements.

The company has refined its web-based Purplefinder software, already regarded as a leader in the asset tracking field, to enable it to integrate other manufacturers’ SSAS hardware into its own Alert Advanced Ship Security Alert System.

Pole Star’s CEO, David Plumer, explains: “There are a number of different Ship Security Alert Systems on the market but not all of these will immediately meet the new performance standards. By integrating other manufacturers’ hardware into our own system, we can ensure that an owner’s whole fleet immediately complies with the IMO’s requirements.”

The company can, so far, integrate Nera, Furono, JRC, Thrane & Thrane TT3000 SSA, Satamatics Ocean Alert and Transas Ship Guard units into its Alert Advanced SSAS Management System and is working on more Inmarsat based hardware and Iridium units.

The MSC agreed that the information required in a ship-to-shore security alert should include the name of the ship, its IMO identification number, call sign, maritime mobile service identity and the ship’s position together with the date and time of that position.

The MSC’s move to insist on common performance standards has been taken because, in some cases where a ship-to-shore security alert has been received by the designated recipient ashore, the information provided to them for identifying the ships transmitting the alert was not adequate.

The MSC’s move has important implications, not only for the owners of container vessels, general cargo ships and reefer vessels of more than 500 gross tons – so-called Category 2 ships – which under SOLAS XI-2/6 rules must have SSAS systems in operation by July 1st 2006 or the first Safety Radio Survey thereafter, but also for the many hundreds of tankers, gas carriers, bulk vessels and passenger ships – Category 1 ships – which were required to have such systems in operation from July 1st 2004 or the first Safety Radio Survey thereafter.

Leading fleet management, ship security and asset tracking specialist, Pole Star Space Applications Ltd, is making the final refinements to a new product, tailored specifically to meet the requirements of flag states, which it plans to launch during the summer.

The Flag Administration Vessel Tracking System (FAVTS) will provide flag states with a permanent tracking capability of ships flying their flag.

The system will provide variable tracking frequency, polling ability, online communications to vessels and owners, zoning and proximity warning systems, the ability to integrate data from other sources and other features designed to provide real operational benefits to Flag Administrations and their ship owners.

The FAVTS system, as well as adding substantial enhancements to flag states’ existing security and safety monitoring procedures, also provides all the data necessary for flag states and their ship owners to comply with new IMO Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) directives, due to come into force in 2008.

“We are very pleased with the outcome of our tests,” says Pole Star Business Development Director, Julian Longson. “We are now incorporating the feedback received from a number of flags. We plan a summer launch and, in light of regulatory developments, that’s good timing.”

In May 2006, the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) decided that internationally trading merchant vessels will be required to provide LRIT data from 2008. “It makes absolute sense for Flag Administrations to have tracking information at their fingertips and to use it for their own and the ship owners’ operational requirements other than LRIT,” declares Longson.

Pole Star’s FAVTS has been under development for some months. The company’s systems recently completed a highly successful beta trial carried out with the Marshall Island’s Registry and with close co-operation from the United States Coast Guard. The six month feasibility study involved the global tracking of 44 merchant vessels by the Marshall Islands Flag Administration. Tracking and reporting was carried out using Pole Star’'s tried and tested web-based Purplefinder tracking system.

During its 81st meeting in London in May, the MSC adopted new regulations for LRIT, together with performance standards and functional requirements. The new measures, mandatory for passenger and cargo ships of more than 300 gross tons, high-speed craft and mobile offshore drilling units, will enter force in 2008. The regulations will be embodied in an amendment to SOLAS Chapter V and will enhance present search and rescue capabilities whilst also assisting in the drive for improved global maritime security.

Importantly, the new regulations establish a multilateral agreement for the sharing of LRIT information for security and safety purposes between SOLAS contracting governments. Coastal states, which are contracting parties to the SOLAS Convention, will be allowed to receive information about ships navigating within a distance not exceeding 1000 nautical miles of their coastline. However, unlike information from the short-range Automatic Identification System (AIS), which is generally available, data derived from LRIT will only be available to the prescribed recipients and various confidentiality provisions are thus being built into the new regulations.

Pole Star’s FAVTS has been designed to comply with all of the IMO’s requirements and is therefore substantially “future-proofed”.

The versatility of Pole Star’s asset tracking technology was well tested during the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club’s China Sea Race 2006 which took place in mid-April.

Pole Star teamed up with Skywave Mobile communications to provide the necessary kit for each of the 27 vessels competing in this year’s race. And for the first time ever, fans of the yacht race ashore were able to monitor the progress of individual yachts every two hours during the widely supported event.

Through its web-based satellite tracking system powered by Purplefinder, widely used in the commercial shipping sector, Pole Star was also able to provide race organisers with a yacht polling capability, significantly enhancing safety for any boats that ran into trouble. Real-time position reports were potentially available for all competing yachts throughout the event.

“We were delighted to be involved with the prestigious China Sea Race,” says Pole Star’s Asia Pacific Sales Manager, Shayne Gent. “The feedback from both competitors and race organisers has been very positive and we hope that race fans ashore have enjoyed tracking the competitors throughout the event for
the first time.”

In preparation for the next ship security crunch date in July this year, leading ship security and assettracking specialist, Pole Star Space Applications Ltd, is launching a three part suite of new ship security alert system (SSAS) products which, it says, should suit all types of customers, from those who want minimum compliance to those who want a top-of-the range ship tracking, charting and weather forecasting system.

By July 1st this year, or the first Safety Radio Survey thereafter, all of the world’s container ships, general cargo and reefer vessels of more than 500 gross tons – so called Category 2 vessels estimated in number at about 11,000 – will require ship security alert systems (SSAS) in operation onboard. Category 1 ships, comprising tankers, gas carriers, bulk vessels and passenger ships must already have complied with SOLAS XI-2/6 rules since July 1st 2004.

“We have launched several initiatives to make life easier for our customers”, explains Pole Star Chief Executive, David Plumer. “Our three new products have been designed to suit the needs of all ship owners and managers. Our basic pre-paid security only package ensures compliance with SOLAS while our mid-range product provides daily position reports and a fleet map,” he says. Our premium product allows users to choose their own ship tracking frequency and also provides an online marine charting and global weather forecasting capability.”

“We are really pleased with the new product range”, says David, “but we have also been working hard to extend our global network of distributors and approved service centres. It is absolutely vital that customers can rely on our network which now offers 24/7 support, both through our extensive network of local distributors and our own customer support centres in London and Hong Kong.”

Pole Star has also succeeded in developing its PurpleFinder software to be able to integrate other manufacturers’ SSAS hardware into its own SSAS management system. Explains David: “Many owners and managers have different SSAS units on their ships but now, by being able to integrate these into our SSAS management system, we are hoping to simplify SSAS operations for all our customers.” So far, SSAS units manufactured by Thrane & Thrane, Satamatics and Transas can be integrated. “But if you have another type onboard your ship, talk to us and we will see what we can do”, says David.

These developments appear against a backdrop of constantly tightening shipboard security requirements. Early March saw an IMO working group discussing a framework for the setting up of mandatory global long-range vessel identification and tracking. Industry experts believe that permanent and long-range vessel tracking will be a regulatory requirement before long, with the US in particular pushing for early implementation.

Pole Star’s PurpleFinder fleet tracking software is widely regarded as the most reliable tracking system available, making it a leader in its field. The company counts amongst its customers a range of blue-chip and listed shipping companies including Stasco, BP, Golar LNG, Chartworld of Greece and the Swire group of companies. Pole Star now continuously tracks more than 9,000 live assets through its system.