Press release
Inmarsat and Satlink win first European fishing e-logbook contract
07-10-2009 - Inmarsat (LSE:ISAT), the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications, and service partner SATLINK have won the first European contract to migrate fishing vessels from a paper logbook system to electronic recording and reporting.
Mandatory European Union legislation requires all masters of fishing vessels over 15 metres in length to migrate their logbook operation from manual to an electronic recording and reporting system (ERS) by July 2011; with a first phase of legislation, for vessels over 24 metres in length, applying from 1st January 2010. Since the beginning of 2009, registered buyers or sellers of fisheries products with an annual turnover of more than 400,000 euros (approx £240,000) have been required to keep and submit records to their national fisheries administration by electronic means.
Ireland is the first member of the European Union, through its Cork-based Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA), to have tendered and awarded an ERS contract. The contract, for around 100 fishing vessels that are over 24 meters in length, has been awarded to a solution based on FleetBroadband 250 (FB250) from a team consisting of SATLINK, Inmarsat, Stratos and Sirius IT.
Commenting on winning the first European tender, Jens Heinsdorf, Technical Manager at SATLINK who led the team, said: "An electronic recording and reporting system will make the process more efficient, more accurate and less costly. The governing authority will be able to cross-check information and identify risks, plus it will help to rationalize control actions at sea and on land. The SATLINK solution was the most cost effective, winning a very competitive and professional bidding war. The SATLINK FB250 is more than capable of coping with the demands of today as well as offering capacity for future growth, as we believe the popularity of electronic reporting will increase once people understand how effective it really is. I believe the winning team offered a business solution that demonstrated an unparalleled depth of experience and know-how in the Irish fishing sector. SATLINK has already been working with the SFPA on the VMS based on IsatM2M."
The tender issued by the SFPA is seen as the blueprint for the rest of the European fishing industry. Over 10,000 vessels across Europe are expected to be converted to e-logbooks by early 2010.
Piers Cunningham, Director of Maritime Business at Inmarsat, said: "The SFPA has stepped into the IP connected future. FleetBroadband is now the benchmark for broadband internet and standard IP applications at sea. Our heritage is proven, our financial future is secure and our next-generation satellite network has a lifespan into the 2020s - an irresistible combination for the SFPA and all bodies charged with the long-term future of electronic recording."
According to Jens Heinsdorf, Inmarsat's FleetBroadband service was the most logical choice because of its unbeatable quality. Said Heinsdorf, "FB250 not only fulfils the ERS requirement, but provides the vessel with a complete office solution for the fishermen to use."
The successful implementation of e-logbooks is expected to result in real-time catch information and improved data quality, which will improve sustainability of the world's fish stocks by optimising economic returns and ensuring that larger fish stocks are harvested efficiently and at sustainable levels.
Spain and the United Kingdom are expected to issue tenders in October in a bid to comply by the beginning of next year; Spain will have around 2,300 vessels and the UK some 1,300 vessels to be switched to electronic recording before the deadline.
Commenting on the win, Kyle Hurst, fisheries specialist at Inmarsat said: "This is the first tender to be issued for electronic recording and as such the SFPA took on a pioneering role in Europe. Today the performance of fisheries management organisations and their control of fisheries resources are constantly scrutinized, and yet they are often hamstrung by the latency and inaccuracy of existing paper logbook systems. Inmarsat can now provide the SFPA with the world's most effective maritime communications service, ensuring the best management strategy for the resources and the industry. Winning the first tender is significant, and our experienced team has a future winning formula to deliver best in class communications for every European country that needs to meet the demands of this EU directive."
