Frequentis AG: Digitalisation of distress call at sea around Greenland

FREQUENTIS GMDSS Grönland

[ Fotos ]

Vienna (pta029/09.09.2019/15:20 UTC+2) * Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) also delivered to Greenland
* Frequentis technology now in use on more than 30% of the world's oceans
* Frequentis Maritime benefits from increasing market growth due to growing vessel traffic

Frequentis is supplying an integrated control centre solution for the maritime control centre in Aasiaat in southwest Greenland to TELE Greenland, the largest postal and telecommunications provider in Greenland which has as its main pillar the coastal radio service, as well as emergency communication and commercial ship radio services. The scope of supply also includes a recording and monitoring system as well as the training of TELE Greenland employees. In addition, a contract for long-term technical system support was signed. The control centre is designed in accordance with the latest ergonomic methods and shortens the time needed to rescue shipwrecked persons with the special Frequentis software system.

Greenland is the largest island in the world in terms of surface area; its coast is characterised by numerous fjords and fissures. Although almost 80% of the country is covered by an ice cap, the geo-political importance of the country is increasing due to the longer navigability of the area induced by climate change. This means that an efficient communication system in accordance with international standards is indispensable for the distress call at sea.

Because of the high quality of the system, the high operational reliability and because it is the most widely used system in the world, TELE Greenland chose Frequentis.

In the Frequentis distress system, communication in an emergency is handled by different technologies, depending on where the vessel is located - mobile, ultra-short-wave VHF, medium wave, geostationary satellites in the polar regions, and polar satellites. "In the event of an accident, the captain virtually presses a button and the emergency call is received by the coast guard and other ships," explains Frequentis CEO Norbert Haslacher. "A Frequentis GMDSS is already in use in 18 countries, such as Canada and Australia; thus, around 30% of the sea surface is equipped with a Frequentis system.

Following successes in Sweden, Iceland and Norway, Greenland expands Frequentis' maritime reference base by another Nordic country. In general, Frequentis sees some growth potential in the maritime market.

On the one hand, this is due to the increasing importance of ships as a means of transport: compared to trucks and trains, inland waterway vessels are the cheapest means of transport. Transporting goods by container ship is also regarded as climate-friendly because it is very efficient. Compared to transport by truck, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are relatively low per tonne and kilometre transported. On the other hand, every country by the sea is increasingly concerned with monitoring and controlling its Exclusive Economic Zone (200-mile zone) in order to make the best possible use of the resources available in this sea area. And last but not least, it is also the most important application in the Search & Rescue sector: according to statistics, 1.5 to 2 men a day go overboard; systems such as the GMDSS and Frequentis control centres support the salvage operation and thus help to save human lives.

About FREQUENTIS

The Austrian company Frequentis headquartered in Vienna is an international supplier of communication and information systems for control centres with safety-critical tasks. Such 'control centre solutions' are developed and marketed by Frequentis in the business sectors Air Traffic Management (civil and military air traffic control, air defence) and Public Safety & Transport (the police, fire brigade, ambulance services, shipping, railways). Frequentis operates a worldwide network of branches, subsidiaries and local representatives in more than 50 countries. Products and solutions from Frequentis can be found in over 25,000 operator working positions and in about 140 countries. Founded in 1947, Frequentis is, by its own estimation, the global market leader in voice communication systems for air traffic control with a market share of around 30%. Moreover, the Frequentis Group's systems are globally leading in AIM (aeronautical information management) and aeronautical message handling systems, as well as in GSM-R systems in the field of Public Transport.

The shares of Frequentis AG are traded on the prime market on the Vienna Stock Exchange and in the general standard on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol FQT (ISIN: ATFREQUENT09).

For more information, please visit www.frequentis.com

Brigitte Gschiegl, Director Corporate Communications, Frequentis AG,
brigitte.gschiegl@frequentis.com, telephone: +43 1 81150-1301

Stefan Marin, Head of Investor Relations, Frequentis AG,
stefan.marin@frequentis.com, telephone: +43 1 81150-1074

(end)

Emitter:	Frequentis AG Innovationsstraße 1 1100 Wien Austria
Contact Person:	Stefan Marin
Phone:	+431811501074
E-Mail:	stefan.marin@frequentis.com
Website:	www.frequentis.com
ISIN(s):	ATFREQUENT09 (Share)
Stock Exchange(s):	Vienna Stock Exchange (Official Trade)
Other Stock Exchanges:	Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt