Pole Star is the leading provider of fleet management, ship security, and fisheries monitoring systems to the maritime industry. The company understands the needs of the maritime sector, and develops innovative and reliable systems that enable its users to monitor and manage their assets worldwide.
Web-based ship monitoring for complete fleet management
Pole Star’s fleet management system is a sophisticated web-based tracking and monitoring application designed for ship owners, commercial managers and charterers of fleets of deep-sea vessels.
Automatic tracking via existing Inmarsat-C or dedicated standalone hardware makes it possible to monitor and manage a global fleet 24 x 7 using one system, with complete fleet data accessible in a single view.
A range of online tools allows authorised users to view and analyse data according to their business function and information needs. A series of unique industry zones denoting known areas of risk, special regulations and other requirements, allows for a proactive approach to voyage management.
A voyage monitoring module processes the automatic position report data sent from the ship, to generate up-to-date information on vessel progress tracked against the voyage plan. It also compares the data against three critical voyage parameters – schedule, speed and track. By setting user-defined alarms and notifications, the operator will receive automatic updates on ETA, over/underspeed and off-track.
SOLAS-compliant ship security alert systems
The Pole Star Alert Advanced package offers a complete and dedicated SSAS solution, meeting or exceeding all requirements of the SOLAS regulation XI-2/6 and associated performance standards.
Third-party hardware integration makes it possible to manage alerts for an entire fleet in a single system, irrespective of the make or manufacturer of the hardware installed aboard the vessel.
With the Pole Star Alert application (available for iOS, Android and BlackBerry), fleet security can be managed remotely anywhere in the world. Key features – view, poll and reset of alerts – provide immediate situational awareness, as well as the tools necessary to manage the security situation.
Secure HTTP encryption and password-protected identification ensure that sensitive data remains safe.
Counter-piracy services for ships
The ship security reporting system (SSRS) is an innovative counter-piracy service that enhances the effectiveness of existing ship security alert systems. It provides a link from the ship directly to MSCHOA, UKMTO, NATO, and associated participating naval forces responsible for maritime security in the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast.
Tracking solutions for powered and unpowered marine assets
Pole Star’s Marine Asset Tracker (MAT) offers a choice of SkyWave satellite transceivers linked to a web-based service, providing a highly effective way of automatically tracking marine assets.
Offering a range of hardware options designed specifically for the tug and barge sector, support vessels, oil and gas majors and inshore operators, MAT enables the operator to monitor the safe passage of their assets through high security-risk areas and in adverse weather conditions.
Each hardware option has been developed to suit specific vessel and market sector requirements in terms of power supply, battery type/duration and position reporting frequency. All options include Pole Star’s web-based MAT service.
Web-based LRIT conformance testing services
For the ship operator, Pole Star provides a secure, web-based and easy-to-use LRIT platform, allowing the user to initiate and review tests at any time. On successful completion of a test, Pole Star can issue the conformance test report, or, in the event that existing onboard equipment does not meet regulatory standards, supply dedicated LRIT hardware.
For the flag administration, Pole Star offers a fully outsourced LRIT solution, providing extended operational benefits and an expandable system for additional SOLAS and wider MARPOL applications.
Comprehensive, end-to-end LRIT data centre solutions
Pole Star offers a comprehensive end-to-end LRIT service that consists of the most cost-effective and expandable data centre solution available. The company operates data centres on behalf of over 40 flag administrations monitoring more than 16,000 ships, including those of Panama, Singapore, Liberia, and the Marshall Islands – the largest fleets in the International Maritime Organisation’s LRIT network.
Fishing vessel and catch monitoring products
Under the Absolute Software brand, Pole Star provides fisheries monitoring services to over 35 countries and regional fisheries management organisations, covering in excess of 50 million square miles of fishing territory worldwide.
Pole Star’s vessel monitoring systems (VMS) automatically monitor fleets of vessels using sophisticated algorithms to automatically detect deviations from normal fishing behaviour. Alerts are directed to appropriate personnel for at-sea intercepts, followed by the subsequent production of legal and casework documentation.
The VMS includes the sophisticated fleet information system (FIS). FIS a secure web-based application that includes modules for registering and tracking vessels, entering fisheries boundary polygons, generating reports, and managing permits and licences, all operating within a state-of-the-art Web 2.0 application.
A complete range of vessel monitoring shipboard equipment, from inexpensive GPS tracking-only options to fully-featured broadband solutions, ensures there is a VMS hardware option to suit all requirements.