Abu Dhabi, 11 January, 2023 : •    The game-changing solution, Thuraya MarineStar, from Yahsat’s mobility arm Thuraya, is a resounding success in maritime safety and sustainable fishing globally.

•    Thuraya MarineStar accelerates digitalization of critical applications like SOS, fish catch reporting, vessel tracking and monitoring.

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 11 January 2023 - The UAE’s flagship satellite solutions provider, Yahsat (ADX: AEA007501017), has won the Best Marine Satellite Technology of the Year award at Middle East Technology Excellence Awards 2022 for Thuraya MarineStar, the integrated voice and data communications solution from its mobility arm, Thuraya. The accolade recognizes MarineStar’s innovative value-based technology and the impact it has had on maritime safety and sustainable fishing globally. The solution proved to be exceptionally effective during the COVID-19 pandemic when it provided stranded seafarers an affordable means to communicate amid heightened travel restrictions. The award was received by Thuraya’s Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, Jassem Nasser.

Commenting on the win, Yahsat’s Chief Commercial Officer, Sulaiman Al Ali stated, “We are delighted to have won the award, as it is a fitting endorsement of our commitment to developing sustainable solutions for crew safety and preserving marine life. Thuraya MarineStar’s feature-rich design and flexible pricing model provide regional fishing operators a strong competitive advantage, making it their go-to solution for affordable communications at sea. With vessel operators prioritizing crew communications, MarineStar has become a critical component of crew welfare. Its tracking and monitoring capabilities enable seafarers to follow maritime safety and fishing regulations without incurring unwanted costs. Currently, no other entry-level maritime solution offers a similar value proposition.”

Thuraya MarineStar is the preferred maritime solution in its asset class, having won the Mobile Satellite Users Association’s (MSUA) ESG Impact Innovation Award earlier this year. Built to high standards and resilient to harsh environments, it increases productivity and efficiency by digitalizing critical applications such as SOS, fish catch reporting, vessel tracking and monitoring. Its performance is further enhanced when combined with Thuraya’s low-cost turnkey web-based tracking and monitoring service, SatTrack for Marine. SatTrack provides an easy-to-use online dashboard that displays data from Thuraya MarineStar terminals and enables fish catch reporting, which is critical for sustainable fisheries.

The nature of Yahsat's business as an integrated satellite communications solutions provider brings with it the potential to create positive social and environmental impacts. Reliable maritime voice and data solutions from Thuraya, ranging from low-cost basic devices to high-end broadband data terminals help vessel owners improve onboard safety, environmental sustainability, compliance and crisis communications during emergencies.