System Overview
Ocean Alert is a Ship Security Alert System, designed for 'covert' installation on board monitored vessels, allowing the crew to silently raise the alert to the fleet operator and other shore-based authorities if the security of the vessel is under threat.
 On-Board Equipment
Ocean Alert utilises the Satamatics SAT-101, a compact, easily concealable, low data rate intelligent satellite terminal with integrated GPS receiver, intelligent programmable processor and back-up battery pack, encased in a sealed control unit.
The control unit houses an integral 3-position keyswitch, together with a compact omni-directional external antenna and two remote wired alert button switches.
Remote Tracking
Ocean Alert continuously monitors the vessel's precise location, together with its external power supply and alert activation points, and automatically transmits status-encoded position reports using the INMARSAT constellation of geostationary satellites, allowing the vessel to be tracked remotely in near-real-time by its fleet operators using the Internet.
Although the tracking frequency depends on the particular airtime package purchased with each Ocean Alert terminal, this can be re-configured remotely over the air when tracking frequency upgrade packages are purchased, without necessitating any other contact with, or visit to, monitored vessels.
Alert Activation
Alert conditions detected on board through manual activation of alert activation points, and warning conditions detected through automatic monitoring of operating parameters, will trigger the automatic transmission of further position reports encoded with specific information relating to the particular alert and/or warning situation.
Alert activation will automatically increase the frequency of status-encoded position reports transmitted by the terminal, for detailed tracking purposes, until the alert condition is cancelled.
Alert Cancellation
Cancellation of an alert condition requires not only the manual de-activation of all alert activation points on board the vessel, and restoration of external power supply (if it has been cut), but also requires remote acknowledgement by an authorised shore-based operator sending a reset command to the terminal, via satellite, from the dedicated Ocean Alert website.
This two-stage 'cancel-and-acknowledge' alert reset process is an added security feature, intended to ensure that alert conditions can only be terminated when the appropriate shore-based authorities are satisfied that any security threat has been removed.
Dedicated Website
The precise location and status of every vessel in the operator's fleet can be tracked on any desktop or laptop computer connected to the Internet, using a standard web browser, via the Ocean Alert website (http://ssas.satamatics.com). All fleet information is protected and secure, requiring a valid user login to access.
Using the Ocean Alert website, fleet managers can optionally interrogate the satellite terminals on board any of their vessels for a current status and position report.
The user-friendly web interface allows fleet managers to set up nominated contacts email addresses, mobile phone and FAX numbers to receive automatic notification messages via email, SMS (optional) and FAX (optional) in the event of a number of conditions arising, including emergency alert activation, power interruption, and overdue position report warnings.
Email SMS and FAX Notification
In an emergency where the security of the ship is compromised, the triggering of any of the covert activation points will immediately raise the alert, automatically sending email, SMS text (optional) and FAX (optional) alert messages to the fleet operator's chosen points of contact.
During such alert ongoing conditions, Ocean Alert will automatically increase the frequency of its position report transmissions to every 30 minutes, until the emergency has been resolved.
Ongoing alert messages will continue to allow the vessel's precise location to be tracked, identifying which alert activation point has been triggered, and reporting any tampering with the external power supply.
Finally, to guard against the unlikely event that the covert on-board system is discovered and disabled, an automatic email warning will be sent to vessel operators, and displayed on the website, if two consecutive scheduled position reports are missed.
| 
