All vessels trading in Sea Area A4 are required to have equipment installed capable of transmitting LRIT data in that area no later than the date of their first radio survey after 1st July 2009 and have the corresponding Conformance Test carried out.

RAMONVILLE, France and BETHESDA, Md., U.S.A. – October 16, 2009 – Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS) and Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM) announce that the U.S. Coast Guard has type-approved the CLS Thorium™ terminal for Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT). The type approval clears the way for CLS America, a subsidiary of CLS, to equip ships sailing under the U.S. flag to comply with the international LRIT carriage requirements. CLS Thorium Press Release

Slovenia and Washington, DC, U.S.A. – October 19, 2009 – U.S. Coast Guard declares that EMA Group`s BlueTraker® LRIT transceiver meets the requirements of the IEC 60945 maritime standard and the IMO requirements for LRIT as defined in IMO MSC.1/Circ. 1307. BlueTraker Press Release

Fulcrum Maritime Systems has been chosen to carry out LRIT compliance tests and to provide the National Data Centre for Venezuela.

Fulcrum are pleased to be able to offer compliance testing for Honduran vessels in association with the Maritime Group.

Fulcrum are pleased to be able to offer compliance testing for Bolivian vessels.

Update: 26 January 2010: Fulcrum Maritime are pleased to announce that the Mauritius Data Centre is now live.

Update: 18 January 2010: Fulcrum Maritime are pleased to announce that the Tanzania Data Centre is now live.

Update: 17 September 2009 Fulcrum Maritime are pleased to announce that the Myanmar Data Centre is now live.

Update: 22 June 2009 The Antigua and Barbuda National Data Centre is now live in the production LRIT environment.

15th July 2009: We are pleased to annouce that the Data Centres for St Vincent and the Grenadines and Barbados have now been fully integrated with the live LRIT environment.

April 1st 2009: The Japanese Coast Guard's Data Centre is hosted by Fulcrum, becoming the world's first country to enter into the live LRIT system as a non prototype Data Centre.

January 1st 2009: Fulcrum hosts the live Data Centre for the Bahamas Maritime Authority; the worlds 3rd largest Flag State by Gross Tonnage.

With the completion of the first ever Accelerated Testing Programme Fulcrum becomes the first commercial provider to enter the Full Accelerated Test environment, thereby allowing Fulcrum Maritime to fast-track Flag State Data Centres into live.

All Flag States that have yet to decide on their Data Centre provider are able to take advantage of this process in order to fulfill their IMO obiligations prior to the impending deadlines of the LRIT Transitional Phase. Please contact Karen Day at kday@fulcrum-maritime.com who will be only too happy to assist your Flag State in meeting these deadlines.

Skywave, Satamatics and Iridium LRIT testing is now available, covering a wide range of LRIT-compatible equipment.

Sandy Lumsden, Satamatics’ Product Manager writes:
"By successfully completing the LRIT Conformance tests with Fulcrum, we are now in a position to provide the assurances ship owners need to proceed with their implementation plans."
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