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COMSAT Announces Digital Service To Lower Rates COMSAT Mobile Communica- tions has announced a new digital service, Inmarsat-B, which offers extensive voice, data, fax and telex communications options for ships at sea and land transportable termi- nals. The rate for Inmarsat-B voice services has been set at $6.95 per minute—30 percent less than cur- rent Inmarsat-A charges. According to Ronald J. Mario, president of COMSAT Mobile Com- munications, Inmarsat-B is the digi- tal replacement for Inmarsat-A ser- vices. The use of efficient digital technology allows the satellite sig- nal to be compressed, using less bandwidth and satellite power, which reduces the cost of the ser- vice. "Inmarsat-B will be the new stan- dard for high quality and large vol- ume communications in the mari- time and land mobile markets," said Mr. Mario. "We expect that in the future, all new vessels and land mobile users will purchase Inmarsat-B equipment and that many current Inmarsat-A users will replace their systems with the new, less expensive digital service." COMSAT projects that the larg- est interest for Inmarsat-B services will be from large passenger and shipping vessels, or businesses in remote areas. COMSAT Mobile Communica- tions, a division of the Washington, D.C.-based COMSAT corporation, provides maritime, aeronautical and international land mobile services to customers around the world. COMSAT Corp. represents the U.S. in the 65-member Inmarsat and the 124-member Intelsat. For further information on the new digital service, Circle 29 on Reader Service Card ABS Introduces Publication For Quality, Environment And Safety Management The American Bureau of Ship- ping (ABS) and its affiliates have introduced a new periodical, "ABS Quest." The periodical addresses subjects dealing with the manage- ment of quality, environment and safety that relate to the maritime industry. ABS Quest was published as a result of the new Comprehensive Safety Compliance Services program (CSCS), first announced by ABS in June. Its purpose is to integrate criteria dealing with quality, envi- ronment and safety management into one approach to regulatory com- pliance. CSCS covers both safety certification and safety enhancement services. Certification services in- clude ship classification and statu- tory work, as well as certification to other standards. Safety enhance- ment services cover risk analysis, reliability, performance, monitor- ing, contingency planning and consultancy among others that pro- vide technical support. ECO To Deliver Ship Handling Simulator To Texas A&M University Engineering Computer Optecnomics, Inc. (ECO), of Annapo- lis, Md., was recently awarded a con- tract from Texas A&M University for a real-time, ship bridge training simulator. The Captains™ III train- ing simulator will allow for training in ship handling, wind and currents effects, radar and visual piloting, auxiliary propulsion unit operation and restricted waterway maneuver- ing. The flexible design of the simula- tor allows for a variety of options to be integrated within the system. Additional ports and/or mathemati- cal ship models can be easily added to the system's software. Additional bridges can also be networked into the existing system to provide mul- tiple bridge configurations. The Captains™ III being provided to Texas A&M is one of a series of real-time, ship bridge simulators of- fered by ECO. All of ECO's Captains™ models are available for operation utilizing any ship type within any port or geographical re- gion. For further information on ECO, Inc. and Captains™ training simu- lators, Circle 30 on Reader Service Card Maritime Reporter/Engineering News Rudder, stabilizer, deck machinery and water lubricated stern shaft bearings. Circle 265 on Reader Service Card Harbormaster Outboard Drive Propulsion Systems 50 to 350 HP models for Boats & Barges M • Efficient mechanical drive J. • Completely self-contained • Economically mount on deck • Consume minimum deck space ' • 360° Steering — no rudder • Up to 90° elevation of lower unit Spare parts and component renovation available for earlier Murray
