
Global Maritime Distress & Safety System (GMDSS)
You Deserve Real Choice
Iridium brings reliable, truly global GMDSS services to the market for the first time ever, giving you real choice and making critical safety services available anywhere on the globe. Iridium provides capability, coverage, and cost advantages over competitive options. With Iridium GMDSS, mariners can sail with confidence.
Global Maritime Distress & Safety System (GMDSS)
You Deserve Real Choice
Iridium brings reliable, truly global GMDSS services to the market for the first time ever, giving you real choice and making critical safety services available anywhere on the globe. Iridium provides capability, coverage, and cost advantages over competitive options. With Iridium GMDSS, mariners can sail with confidence.

The Iridium Advantage
Iridium GMDSS enhances your safety at sea, offering reliable coverage where no other options exist. The Iridium network is designed to work in extreme conditions at sea. Our unique constellation of 66 cross-linked satellites in Low-Earth Orbit provides reliable coverage, even in adverse weather, around the entire globe, including over the Arctic and Antarctic waters in Sea Area A4. The inaugural Iridium Connected GMDSS terminal from Lars Thrane supplies all three (3) satellite GMDSS services at about 25 percent of the cost of the current equipment requirements.
Iridium GMDSS Services
All Iridium Connected® GMDSS terminals come standard with functionality for all satellite GMDSS services. Unlike the historic options, Iridium Connected GMDSS terminals initiate both Distress Alert and Safety Voice quickly with the press of just one button.
- Distress Alert
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Activated by the press of a button, distress alerting sends basic, but critical data to a Rescue Coordination Center (RCC): ID, Status, Position
- Maritime Safety Information (MSI)
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MSI is transmitted through an Enhanced Group Call (EGC) service called Iridium SafetyCastSM: Navigational, Meteorological, Safety-Related
- Safety Voice
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Connect to an RCC and other maritime authorities through a call to share additional details about the distress situation: High Priority Calling, Hydrographic Reporting, Medical Assistance
- Additional Features
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Distress Alert Relay, Shore-to-Ship Distress Calling, Maritime Assistance, Standard Maritime Calling & Messaging

Related Case Studies
Related Case Studies
Iridium® GMDSS, via the Lars Thrane LT-3100S terminal, offers the crew a cost-effective safety solution.
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Resources
Fact Sheet describing Iridium's GMDSS (Global Marine Distress and Safety Systems) Services
The Iridium Fair Access Policy applies to all Iridium Services
Dated: August 08, 2018
Product Sheet for the Lars Thrane LT-3100S GMDSS System
A one and a half minute overview video explaining Iridium GMDSS in introductory terms.
Dated: December 11,2020
Format: 7MB in Mp4