Marlink has completed what it describes as the first upgrade of an existing Intellian C700 Iridium Certus terminal to a fully commissioned Iridium Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), aboard offshore supply vessel Fugro Revelation.
The upgrade adds GMDSS distress alerting, safety voice communications and Maritime Safety Information (MSI) through Iridium SafetyCast, while retaining the vessel’s existing terminal hardware. The project was delivered in partnership with Intellian Technologies and Iridium Communications.
The installation retained the C700’s existing above-deck and below-deck units, antenna and cabling. A Safety Display Terminal, handset and approved installation components were added to the bridge, and the standard SIM card was replaced with an Iridium GMDSS SIM card.
The approach avoids replacing the existing terminal or carrying out more extensive modifications to the vessel, reducing installation time and disruption. Marlink said the upgrade route is supported by MED (Marine Equipment Directive) and MER (Marine Equipment Regulation) type approval documentation specifying that existing C700 terminals can be upgraded to SOLAS-approved GMDSS systems.
The upgraded terminal also supports commercial voice and data connectivity, with three simultaneous non-GMDSS voice lines. It can additionally support Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) and the Ship Security Alert System (SSAS), subject to activation, configuration and testing.
“We chose to upgrade an installed Intellian C700 Certus terminal by adding a Safety Display Terminal, extending its capabilities to include Iridium GMDSS. The installation process was straightforward and completed without complications,” said Oigen Blankert, OTS Business Partner Lead at Fugro.
Fugro is considering extending the approach across its fleet, with the potential to combine GMDSS, LRIT, SSAS and commercial voice and data connectivity through a single platform rather than maintaining several separate systems.
