Cybit Maritime Division to provide Race Management tracking for yachts in the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09

  • Will provide regular, accurate position information for each yacht at every stage of the race
  • Uses the same technology that monitors Economic Exclusion Zones and enables Fisheries Management
  • To access high resolution images please click here

Cybit, the UK's leading online Telematics Service Provider (TSP), has announced a major order through its Maritime Telematics Division, BlueFinger, to provide the Race Management System (RMS) for the high performance yachts in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008. The race organisers will use the BlueFinger Saffire system to track the position, direction and speed of each yacht in the race. The race is expected to produce a cumulative audience of 2 billion viewers and followers will be able to watch the progress of the race as a 3-Dimensional image, updated by the BlueFinger system.  

The BlueFinger Saffire system will monitor the progress of every boat throughout the 10 stages, over nine months and cover the complete 39,000 nautical miles of the 2008-09 global race. It will use the International Maritime Satellite (INMARSAT) network to give accurate race updates that are refreshed every 15 minutes to monitor the safety of each yacht and allow accurate race scoring and leadership tables to be maintained. The Volvo Ocean Race selected the proven Saffire solution from BlueFinger on the basis of the company's experience in tracking large numbers of vessels in a range of maritime industries and unrivalled expertise in using the INMARSAT network to power tracking applications.

"The primary reason for the system is to ensure the safety of every competitor - if one of the boats stops unexpectedly, we need to know about it immediately," commented Andy Hindley, Racing Director for the Volvo Ocean Race. "The weather conditions that they have to face can make this a hazardous race, so we need to have visibility of every yacht and all the conditions they encounter so we can quickly identify if there are any problems. We also have millions of fans of the race that we need to keep updated. Being able to relay the race, even when it’s in more inaccessible areas like the Southern Ocean, is a big bonus for followers of the event. BlueFinger understands these needs and the solution we have satisfies all the demands that we have from a Race Management System."

The Saffire solution from BlueFinger has traditionally been used in the areas of fisheries management, Economic Exclusion Zone monitoring and offshore oil and gas exploration. Its work with leading government and private sector organisations around the world has given it the expertise to adapt its maritime technology for a wide range of maritime tracking applications and industries.

"The solution we have for maritime tracking is highly sophisticated, and is essential to the operation of many companies and organisations that monitor, manage and protect vital fishing resources and maritime environments around the world," commented Cybit's Chief Executive Officer, Richard Horsman. "We are delighted to be able to use the same solution to provide accurate information on the unpredictable progress of these widely scattered, high speed and competitive racing boats."

The BlueFinger Saffire VMS solution provides the tools to manage, control and protect maritime fleets and coordinate the activities of many different vessels, with a range of responsibilities. Saffire VMS can monitor any vessel that is equipped with an Automatic Location Communicator (ALC) using any form of maritime mobile communication. Fisheries is a prime resource for many countries, and the BlueFinger solution enables them to manage and control their stocks.

About the Volvo Ocean Race
Competitors in the Volvo Ocean Race, the world’s premier round the world race, will cover over 39,000 nautical miles of the globe’s most treacherous seas over a period of more than eight months. The Volvo Ocean Race 2008-09 will start in the Spanish port of Alicante on 4 October 2008. The 2005-06 race reached a television audience of over 1.8 billion ranking it among the leading international sporting events. The race attracts in-depth coverage from the world’s media and uses ground-breaking technology on board each yacht to relay all the action around the world.

The Volvo Ocean Race yachts, the Volvo Open 70s, are crewed by professional yachtsmen and women. The boat design is regulated and built for speed whilst safety remains a key concern. The first 31,250 nautical-mile race first took place 34 years ago (as the Whitbread Round the World Race), testing the crews against some of the most ferocious elements that man can encounter. The 2008-09 race will be the 10th edition of the event.

About Cybit:
Cybit is a global force in Telematics, operating within three core sectors: Internet-based vehicle Telematics solutions; Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ) Management; and Private Mobile Radio (PMR) based asset tracking and precise positioning solutions.   

In the vehicle Telematics sector, Cybit is one of Europe's leading Telematics Service Providers (TSPs). Around 1,500 business to business clients use its fleet and asset management solutions to manage more than 40,000 assets primarily in the public sector, service industries and logistics and distribution markets. Solutions include in-vehicle technologies, work flow management and internet-based monitoring and reporting software. The company also provides consulting services to advise on operational and legal issues such as duty of care and working hours.

Cybit is also a global leader in the field of EEZ fisheries management, tracking many thousands of fishing vessels on a daily basis. The company provides vessel monitoring and catch management solutions for many of the world's major fishing nations. As well as the UK and Irish Governments, Cybit helps to manage valuable fishing stocks for emerging nations such as Ghana, Namibia and Mozambique.

Cybit’s Precise Positioning business provides asset-tracking and highly accurate positioning solutions for both maritime and land-based applications including exploration and mining. Its precise positioning solutions are in constant use in the location and exploitation of oil, gas and mineral reserves around the globe.

Additional information is available at www.cybitholdings.com, www.cybit.co.uk, www.amatics.com, www.cybitpositioningsolutions.co.uk and www.bluefinger.com

Contact information:
Duncan Burford
IBA - PR for Cybit
Tel: 01780 721 433
Email: dburford@iba-europe.com

Graham Gordon
Marketing Manager, Cybit
Tel: 01480 389100
Email: ggordon@cybit.co.uk

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