Transportation
Maritime
Heavy Industry
Natural Resources
Government
Technology partnership enables shipping lines to equip vessels with low-cost GSM architecture for wireless monitoring and control of smart containers and cargo throughout the supply chain
- May 23, 2017
Based in Evanston, IL, Vobal Technologies has developed and deployed its CargoGSM™ network over the past 5 years, thereby extending IoT connectivity to sea. ORBCOMM is deploying Vobal’s maritime GSM technology as part of its new VesselConnect solution, which allows shipping lines to monitor and control smart containers and their cargo on-board their ships. As announced last week, early adopters of ORBCOMM’s VesselConnect solution include TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, a premier shipping carrier specializing in moving cargo between the U.S. mainland and Puerto Rico.
VesselConnect allows carriers to receive critical data from smart containers loaded on their ships above and below deck, including reefer status, temperature and slot location, as well as to adjust reefer container set points and conduct pre-trip inspections on-board, reducing manual labor and expediting cargo distribution on land. The solution enhances crew efficiency and safety by eliminating the need to manually check reefer and other containers carrying perishable cargo. Status reports and alarms are automatically displayed on the VesselConnect console on-board and can also be viewed by shore-based personnel on ORBCOMM’s Cloud platform for immediate action.
“Bringing connectivity to the sea leg of the supply chain is a critical extension of ORBCOMM’s extensive portfolio of IoT solutions for remote monitoring of transportation assets on land,” said Christian Allred, ORBCOMM’s Senior Vice President and General Manager of Global Sales. “We are pleased to partner with Vobal Technologies to deliver the next generation of connected container solutions that help our customers reduce cargo damage, decrease operating costs and enhance customer service.”
“Vobal’s core GSM technology was developed specifically for use at sea, which means that not only does CargoGSM work with VSAT but also, uniquely, with FleetBroadband®. CargoGSM on board enables ORBCOMM VesselConnect to extend reliable network coverage throughout the vessel’s cargo spaces, above and below deck,” said John Nix, Vobal Technologies’ Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “Using Vobal’s system to plug the mid-ocean connectivity ‘black hole’, ORBCOMM can now provide shipping lines with end-to-end traceability of reefer containers throughout the supply chain both on land and at sea in real time.”
About ORBCOMM Inc.
ORBCOMM (Nasdaq: ORBC) is a global leader and innovator in the industrial Internet of Things, providing solutions that connect businesses to their assets to deliver increased visibility and operational efficiency. The company offers a broad set of asset monitoring and control solutions, including seamless satellite and cellular connectivity, unique hardware and powerful applications, all backed by end-to-end customer support, from installation to deployment to customer care. ORBCOMM has a diverse customer base including premier OEMs, solutions customers and channel partners spanning transportation, supply chain, warehousing and inventory, heavy equipment, maritime, natural resources, and government. For more information, visit www.orbcomm.com.
About Vobal Technologies, LLC
Vobal Technologies delivers high-quality, low-cost and secure VoIP and M2M Solutions for commercial maritime customers. Founded in Evanston, Illinois in 2010, Vobal Technologies’ team has built a reputation for solving the unique telecommunications challenges of commercial vessels. These solutions were created by leveraging more than 20 years’ experience providing networking connectivity in many of the world’s most technically challenging operating environments.
As of mid-2017, Vobal’s maritime network has enabled monitoring of over 15,000 refrigerated containers and connected more than 20,000 mobile handsets on more than 100 vessels ranging from small cruise ships to large container ships. Vobal’s solutions have also carried nearly two million minutes of phone calls at sea. For more information, visit www.vobal.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements discussed in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements generally relate to our plans, objectives and expectations for future events and include statements about our expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, intentions, assumptions and other statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements, including those concerning the Company’s expectations, are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the results, projected, expected or implied by the forward-looking statements, some of which are beyond the Company’s control, that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, specific consideration should be given to various factors described in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” and Part II, Item 7. “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” and elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K, and other documents, on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statements or cautionary factors, except as required by law.
ORBCOMM Contacts
For Investors:
Michelle Ferris, Director of Corporate Communications
ORBCOMM Inc.
+1.703.433.6516
ferris.michelle@orbcomm.com
For Trade Media:
Sue Rutherford, VP of Marketing
ORBCOMM Inc.
+1 613.254.5269
rutherford.sue@orbcomm.com
