Under a subcontract awarded in April 2014 by Frequentis AG of Austria, Elcome is supplying key components of the network, as well as system integration, installation, training and maintenance for equipment in the operations center and remote sites.
The network is deployed and operated by Qnective Middle East. The local subsidiary of the Swiss company Qnective was awarded through its Omani partner company, Al-Madakhel Investment LLC, a First Class A License for network construction and operation by the Sultanate of Oman.
The network will provide the obligatory shore-based terrestrial and satellite-based Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) communication services covering Sea Areas A1, A2 and A3 of Oman’s territorial waters and beyond. This includes an upgrade of the existing NAVTEX maritime safety information broadcasting system. In addition, the integrated system encompasses a new coast-wide Automatic Identification System (AIS) and a ground-based segment for receiving and processing COSPAS-SARSAT distress alerts from emergency beacons.
The Oman network will be managed from a dedicated Maritime Radiocommunication Operations Center - MROC (Photo), operated by Qnective Middle East in Muscat, which is equipped with state-of-the-art technology for control of all maritime communications in Oman. The operations center is manned 24 hours a day. The MROC also has a large training facility.
The coastal infrastructure includes strategically located radio sites around Oman’s coastline from Khasab in the north to a location west of Salalah, as well as two NAVTEX transmission sites in Wattayah and Salalah to give coverage of Oman’s sea lanes out to 275 nautical miles. AIS receivers and direction-finding antennae are co-located at remote radio sites to track and monitor vessels out to 30 nautical miles offshore, including Oman’s large commercial fishing fleet.
The entire maritime radiocommunication network should be completed in February 2015.
Based in Dubai, Elcome International LLC is a diversified supplier of turnkey solutions for marine electronics, electrical and safety systems for the world maritime industry. Founded in 1969, Elcome is headquartered in a modern 100,000 sq. ft. facility in Dubai, with offices in United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, as well as a subsidiary and associated companies in India.
