Saturday 06th, September 2014

MUSCAT -- Oman's 15,000-strong fleet of fishing boats will be brought under the coverage of a state-of-the-art maritime communications network currently under development along the Sultanate's coastline.
The new network, built on the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) standard, will enhance all communications between ships at sea and between ships and the authorities located on mainland Oman.
GMDSS is a worldwide distress and maritime radio safety system that delivers additional safety measures and ensures they will receive help quickly in the event of emergency. The network envisaged in Oman will be beneficial to government ministries and naval agencies responsible for maritime affairs, search and rescue, counter pollution and general maritime safety and security plus the shipping industry, ports, fishing and pleasure craft community.

Qnective Middle East, a subsidiary of Swiss terrestrial and maritime communications specialist Qnective AG, has been awarded a contract by the Omani government to design, construct and operate the new maritime communications network in the Sultanate.

The project will be implemented through Qnective's local partner, Al Madakhel Investment LLC, which was recently awarded a First Class A-License for the building and operation of the GMDSS system.

Under the terms of the contract, Qnective will the sole operator of the network for a period of 15 years, extendable by a further 15-year period.

Oman's strategic geopolitical location in the Arabian Sea coupled with its dependence on maritime transportation for much of its external trade, makes a GMDSS-based maritime communications system indispensable to its national interests, says Qnective. Further, with thousands of merchant and other vessels traversing its regional waters en route to the Upper Gulf via the sensitive Hormuz Strait, a sophisticated communications system would allow for the Sultanate to track and respond to maritime emergencies occurring in these waters, it is pointed out.

Importantly, the network will be rolled out to bring under its umbrella the thousands of traditional Omani fishing boats, as well as other fishing and commercial dhows operating in the Sultanate's coastal waters. Traditional fishing is a source of livelihood for tens of thousands of Omanis and also supports a lucrative fishing industry. Ensuring the sector's continued well-being through the inclusion of fishing vessels in the maritime communications network is a national imperative, stress experts.

Security at sea from, among other threats, potential pirates is important benefit associated with this initiative. Although piracy linked to Somali-based sea bandits is on the decline, the seas around Oman have witnessed their share of attempted and successful seajackings in recent years. Providing a safety net for fishing and merchant ships plying these waters is also a key objective behind this venture.

As part of the project, Qnective and its partners will also set up a Maritime Radio Communications Operations Centre (MROC) in Muscat. In addition to a wide range of GMDSS services, the Operations Centre will also offer NAVTEX broadcasts, VHF, MF and HF radio telephony and Digital Selective Calling (DSC) in all sea areas around Oman.

Frequentis, a Qnective strategic partner, will supply the communications infrastructure for the operations centre and other maritime facilities. This includes its MCS 3020 IP communication system and Tracking & Tracing information system, 200 VHF and 22 MF/HF radios, 25 VHF radio direction finders, 25 AIS base stations with ship equipment for 15,000 vessels, two NAVTEX transmitters, INMARSAT-C and a COSPAS-SARSAT ground station.

Commenting on the project, Qnective CEO Oswald Ortiz said: "We are very proud of having been selected by the Sultanate of Oman and Al Madakhel. This assignment is a state of the art project, not only for us, but for the whole region."

© Oman Daily Observer 2014