Fulcrum and SkyWave Partner to Support LRIT Solution for EU Members and Other Flag States

Feb. 18, 2009 - PRLog -- Essex, UNITED KINGDOM and Ottawa, CANADA – 18 February, 2009 – Fulcrum Maritime Systems Ltd., the first Recognized ASP in the world to complete initial Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) tests with the International Data Centre and the International Data Exchange, today announces its partnership with SkyWave Mobile Communications to support the SkyWave LRIT system.

As part of the LRIT prototype development program, Fulcrum participated in the initial prototyping process for the International Data Exchange. Fulcrum’s proprietary system, the "LRIT Master", provides Flags with a National Data Centre solution and was the world's first LRIT system developed expressly to meet the IMO’s strict LRIT requirements. LRIT Master guarantees 100% compliance with the IMO standard. Fulcrum’s Bahamas National Data Centre was among the first of the LRIT Data Centres to be online by the January 1st, 2009 deadline.



Fulcrum is the Authorized Test ASP for the UK as well as Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Comoros, Cyprus, Dominica, Estonia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Iceland, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Japan, Liberia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mauritius, Norway,  Portugal and Madeira, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, St. Kitts & Nevis and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. As an ASP, Fulcrum complies with the Performance Standards as described in IMO Resolution MSC.263(84) and performs the duties described therein.



“The Flag States we represent depend on us to provide reliable and robust solutions to ensure LRIT compliance,” says Tracy Nichols, Director for Fulcrum Maritime Systems Ltd. “After rigorously testing the DMR-800LRIT terminal to ensure it met our explicit technical requirements, we are pleased to partner with SkyWave to enable our customers full and rapid compliance.”



“SkyWave is very pleased to be working with Fulcrum, the ASP for Bahamas which is the third largest Flag state by gross tonnage” says Dan Poirier, Senior VP of Sales & Marketing for SkyWave. “This partnership is a further endorsement of SkyWave’s globally accepted LRIT solution”.


LRIT regulations, established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for the purpose of improving maritime security, came into force on January 1, 2008. Vessels found to be non-compliant may be denied entry to territorial waters or ports, in addition to facing significant fines. Test ASPs are responsible for providing information to ship owners and operators, as well as Flag Administrations, and enabling testing to be carried out on ships to ensure compliance before their next radio survey during 2009.



For more information about the SkyWave LRIT solution, visit www.SkyWave.com/lrit.php.