At A Glance:
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The Challenge
Derelict vessels pose a threat to coastal waterways, indigenous communities, and the environment.
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The Solution
Equipped with the Iridium Connected™ RockBLOCK Plus, BRNKL Rapid Deploy units provide remote monitoring of vessels anywhere along Canada’s vast coastline.
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The Impact
Near-real-time status updates and alerts via Iridium Short Burst Data® (SBD®) allow for quicker deployment of response teams when needed.
The Challenge
Thousands of wrecked, abandoned, or hazardous vessels have been reported along Canada’s coastline—the longest in the world at 243,042 total kilometers (151,019 miles). As part of the Oceans Protection Plan, the Canadian government has committed to removing derelict vessels that pose threats to the environment and the public, including Canada’s indigenous populations.
The Solution
The Canadian Coast Guard acquired 47 BRNKL Rapid Deploy units from Barnacle Systems for placement aboard derelict vessels throughout the country. Approximately the size of a small suitcase, the solar-powered units include door sensors to detect intruders, float switches, and global navigational satellite services. A fully waterproof, plug-and-play Iridium Connected transceiver, the Ground Control RockBLOCK Plus provides the BRNKL Rapid Deploy unit’s satellite connectivity. Its omnidirectional antenna only needs a clear view of the sky for data transmission—if the boat moves for any reason, no interruption will occur due to line-of-sight issues.
RockBLOCK Plus transmits status updates and alerts in near real-time via Iridium Short Burst Data (SBD), powered by Iridium’s fully global coverage—a necessity for the Canadian Coast Guard, as much of the country sits above the Arctic Circle.
The Impact
Thanks in part to the Iridium Connected RockBLOCK Plus, BRNKL Rapid Deploy units allow the Canadian Coast Guard to better monitor and respond to the risks posed by derelict vessels, helping to better protect waterways, marine life and the people who subsist from them.
“Over my 20-year career in defense and disaster response, I've found the Iridium satellite network to be unsurpassed in reliability for our mission-critical data needs
–Brandon Wright,
CEO, Barnacle Systems
