ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION (RNLI) is featuring a successfully developed and innovative new safety system, primarily for fishermen, because this industry is the most hazardous in the world. Having developed the system with McMurdo and other key service providers, ‘MOB Guardian’ will be launched to the fishing industry at Fishing 2006 in May 2006 but WMTC 2006 delegates are getting a preview . The base unit sends regular position reports to the RNLI’s operations room. If the vessel sinks without being able to send a distress alert via traditional means, the shore-side system notices that position reports have ceased and automatically attempts to regain contact. If this is unsuccessful, an RNLI duty officer is alerted and if satellite contact cannot be re-established manually, the vessel’s details are passed to the appropriate Search and Rescue Co-ordination Centre.

• The MOB Guardian

In addtion, crew working on deck wear personal safely devices which are in constant radio contact with the base unit. If they fall overboard, this contact is broken and an alert is transmitted to SAR organisations within seconds, as well as the system sounding an onboard alarm.

The new system can alert other crew onboard and particularly SAR organisations significantly faster than current systems widely in use; and the system is always live and does not rely on ‘dormant’ equipment to activate float free etc

Users in the first instance will be fishermen, but in the longer term will also include other sea users. This exhibit is of particular interest to delegates attending the Commercial Shipping stream at WMTC 2006. Further information from www.rnli.org.uk and from +44 (0)1202 663353 or fishingsafety@rnli.org.uk