IoT system overcomes challenge of ensuring safety at sea

Now crew members could be immediately located during an emergency, thanks to a wireless mesh-based Internet-of-Things (IoT) system, developed by Norwegian maritime technology company ScanReach. The In:Mesh system is based on a series of individual wireless nodes, placed in each room on board the vessel, according to John Roger Nesje, CEO at ScanReach. Conventional Wi-Fi networks, which operate on a frequency of 2.4GHz, do not work well in the largely steel environment on board ships. Wi-Fi access points also require cabling, which is difficult and expensive to retrofit onto existing vessels, and can be damaged, said Nesje.