How a new satellite will help fight against smuggling and piracy off the Solent coast

SMUGGLING, piracy and illegal fishing sea could soon be prevented by a monitoring centre in the city thanks to new satellite technology.
Portsmouth Harbour. Picture: Kieran GrattonPortsmouth Harbour. Picture: Kieran Gratton
Portsmouth Harbour. Picture: Kieran Gratton

The National Maritime Information Centre (NMIC), based in Portsmouth, is set to get access to sat phone data from a crime-fighting satellite when it is launched.

This will means the centre will be able to pinpoint and possibly intercept criminals on the waves – even if they disable their automatic identification signals.

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Set to be built by Horizon Technologies and the Satellite Applications Catapult, the satellite, set to be launched in 2020, will provide information based on electronic emissions through an L-band Satphone detection sensor package.

The three organisations have signed a memorandum of understanding so the British government can get access to the IOD-3 Amber satellite data.

It is hoped this could reduce the number of illegal incidents, including trafficking.

Phil Ponsford from NMIC said: ‘The new data that will be provided by IOD-3 Amber will revolutionise the way we use information from satellites to tackle the full range of maritime security threats to the UK.

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‘It has the potential to assist UK agencies in preventing a wide range of illegal activities including smuggling and people trafficking, and I’m sure it will fill a vital information gap in our maritime collection requirement as it comes online.’

Satellite Applications Catapult claims criminal activity in UK waters is on the rise.

Chief executive Stuart Martin said: ‘The IOD-3 Amber satellite exemplifies what can be achieved by a UK organisation with an innovative idea in a market with significant demand and commercial potential.

‘The partnership with NMIC is a key step, as it secures an important customer for the data supplied by IOD-3, ensuring that Horizon Technologies has a bright future supplying data to governments around the world, all from their base in the UK.’

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John Beckner, CEO of Horizon Technologies, added: ‘We are delighted to have signed this agreement with NMIC to supply our new data set to the UK government.

‘Around the world, governments and law enforcement agencies are dealing with a dramatic increase in crime at sea, and our service will give the UK a new and powerful source of information to detect and take action against this type of illegal activity.’