[SatNews] Vessel management improvements and cost savings have resulted from this implementation...

Navigation Maritime Bulagare (Navibulgar) reports significant communication cost savings and greater management efficiencies since retrofitting its fleet of bulk carriers with Iridium OpenPort® from Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:IRDM). Navibulgar retrofitted its fleet of 45 bulk carriers with Iridium OpenPort broadband communications terminals in 2010 following an extensive analysis and operational evaluation of several communication solutions. Iridium OpenPort provides mariners cost-effective, comprehensive, reliable pole-to-pole voice and data communications connections. AND Group, an important member of the Iridium partner ecosystem, is the service provider. “Navibulgar has been a pioneer in integrating Iridium OpenPort into its fleet management and IT infrastructure,” said Dan Mercer, vice president, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Russia, for Iridium. “Since introducing Iridium OpenPort to the maritime industry in 2008, we have seen a steady increase in market share due to its attractive value proposition, offering three independent phone lines, data speeds of 128 kbps, low-cost service plans supported by Iridium’s global coverage area and high network reliability.”

“The high-speed data connections provided by Iridium OpenPort are an important tool for management of vessel operation, monitoring and control, which leads to cost reduction and higher profitability,” said Alex Alexandrov, director of purchasing, IT and communications for Navibulgar and Managing Director of its subsidiary Navibulgar Services Ltd. “We have not only significantly reduced our communication costs, but managed to develop and implement sophisticated ship management software solutions enabling us to manage our vessels more efficiently. We are now able to conduct proper analysis and measure the relevant key performance indicators – making it possible to take the necessary corrective and preventive actions in a timely manner.”