SeaKey is a telematic service from Volvo Penta that improves safety at sea while providing increased security for North American boat owners. The service is based on a satellite communication system which in the case of emergency enables the boat owner to have a direct link to Volvo Penta’s call center in the U.S.
With the aid of SeaKey, boats in distress at sea can send an alarm to the coast guard, which thanks to the GPS function can rapidly locate the boat.
SeaKey - a police pathfinder
But the system has also been used for tracing a stolen boat.
In Miami, Florida, a brand new sports boat with trailer was recently stolen from the owner’s garage driveway.
Using the boat’s tracer-transmitter, personnel at Volvo Penta’s call center immediately advised the police where the boat could be found. The police proceeded to the location, apprehended two suspected perpetrators, and returned the boat to the owner.
In this case, the boat had been reported stolen for less than two hours.
According to the police report, the boat thieves had managed to remove the stickers from the boat and the trailer in an attempt to disguise identification. But the SeaKey transmitter was intact.
Help is never far away
That the call center and boat owner are constantly kept aware of the boat’s location is of great value, for example, in the event of an engine break-down or in heavy weather. However, SeaKey also provides a range of other advantages.
With SeaKey, the owner can, as the need arises, define a particular geographic area in which the boat may navigate without any special measures on the part of the system. However, if the boat departs the area – for instance the home port – a message is automatically transmitted both to the authorities and the boat owner reporting that the boat has been stolen.
For further information, please contact Jan Hellåker, Chief Telematics Officer,
Volvo Penta of the Americas Inc., phone: +1 757 3824026, E-mail:
jan.hellaker@volvo.com
