5
August
2015

INMARSAT Annual Seminar, 2015

The INMARSAT seminar is an annual event at WMU and this year was delivered during 3-5 August to all students in the M.Sc. programme. INMARSAT has been a long-time supporter of WMU including the annual seminar offering as well as the INMARSAT Chair position, currently held by Professor Daniel S.H. Moon, which was first established in 1994 and fulfilled annually since 1998. INMARSAT’s continued support and involvement with the university has provided a significant contribution to WMU’s mission of maritime capacity building. 

This year’s 3-day offering began with an introduction to INMARSAT satellite communication by John Dodd, Senior Product Manager, Maritime Safety & Regulatory Maritime, INMARSAT. The day continued with information about the role of INMARSAT with the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS).

Day two focused on security at sea with a presentation by Phil Lane from Pole Star Global, e-navigation by John-Erik Hagen, Regional Director at the Norwegian Coastal Administration, and further presentations by Mr. Dodd regarding accidents at sea with interactive analysis.

On the final day, a workshop led by Mr. Dodd and Dr. Moon involved the students being divided into groups to discuss an overview of GMDSS and the future of GMDSS modernization.  After discussions, a representative from each group reported out to the entire class. The final exercise was a debate forum led by Mr. Dodd on the topics of 1) simulation training/at sea training, 2) compulsory tracking of vessels, and 3) prosecution for incorrect use of ‘distress’ calls.  

The discussions and debates were particularly lively and informative this year with WMU students sharing their personal experiences from around the globe in regard to GMDSS. The opportunity to discuss the current state of maritime information and communication technologies with students who are experienced maritime professionals from around the globe, with an INMARSAT industry expert on hand, was an invaluable opportunity not only for the students, but for providing direct input to INMARSAT regarding their recommendations for improvement in this critically important area. 

For more information about INMARSAT, click here. 

 

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