The 30th Assembly of the International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO) opens today at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London

Representatives of IMSO’s 112 Parties are gathering at a time when the satellite communications sector is undergoing major transformation, with new technologies, emerging operators and rapidly evolving satellite constellations reshaping the industry.

Over the coming days, the Assembly will examine several important matters, including the resilience and reliability of recognized satellite services supporting the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), established and regulated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as well as the performance and resilience of the Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) system.

The Assembly will also have an opportunity to begin reflecting on the longer-term future of the satellite component of the GMDSS, while addressing a range of institutional, regulatory and financial matters concerning the Organization.

We were honoured to welcome addresses from Arsenio Dominguez Secretary General of the IMO, Mark Dankberg, Chairman and CEO of Viasat+Inmarsat, Matt Desch , CEO of Iridium, and Thomas Kazakos, Secretary-General of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS).

This Assembly also marks a significant milestone: the 50th anniversary of the signing of the 1976 Convention establishing INMARSAT, the intergovernmental organization that later became IMSO. The IMSO Directorate presented an informative video at the Assembly to celebrate this: watch the full video here.

Fifty years on, the satellite communications landscape has changed considerably, but the public-service mission at the heart of the Convention remains as relevant as ever: safeguarding the availability and reliability of essential maritime safety communications and contributing to the protection of lives at sea.