Smooth sailing for Pole Star and Absolute

Pole Star Space Applications Limited (“Pole Star”), Absolute Software Inc. and Absolute Maritime Tracking Services Inc. (“Absolute”) today announced that the merger of the three organisations has been completed.

The enlarged global business, headquartered in West London, will provide a combination of monitoring and security related services to more than 35,000 vessels - half the world’s international fleet

Combining Pole Star’s award-winning expertise in systems for commercial fleets, flags and maritime administrations with Absolute’s proven credentials in fisheries management, together with its services to flags and maritime administrations, the enlarged organisation will offer cutting-edge technology to the maritime industry as a whole.

The merged company will now operate Long-Range Identification & Tracking (LRIT) data centres for 40 maritime administrations including Panama, Singapore, the Marshall Islands, Liberia, Australia, and Canada as well as providing LRIT Conformance Testing and Certification for more than 90 Flags. In addition, the combined company’s increased technology resources will enable the group to deliver superior, cutting edge products more quickly to its customers.

“As a long time customer of Pole Star, we are excited by this merger and look forward to the added benefits that this will bring to us,” said Captain Jude Dias, Company Security and Safety Manager of Wallem GmbH & Co, Germany. “With the combined technology expertise and reach of these two organisations, Pole Star will provide us with the advanced technological solutions that we need to manage, track and protect our fleet in line with international regulations and compliance measures.”

“Our goal is to be the world’s leading provider of fleet management, ship security and vessel monitoring systems to the maritime industry as a whole. This merger is a big step towards achieving that,” said Colin Hook, the newly appointed CEO of Pole Star. “Both Pole Star and Absolute have complementary businesses and technologies and together we can provide extended, more advanced services and systems to our clients around the globe. We are excited by the opportunity of being able to offer fisheries solutions to many of our existing government clients.”

Pole Star Space Applications Limited is the world’s leading provider of location-based fleet management, security and telematics services to the commercial marine sector and government administrations. Working closely with its extensive client base and global partner network, the Company has developed innovative and reliable solutions that enable its users to manage their assets worldwide. Pole Star has been listed in The Sunday Times Tech Track 100 league tables in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2011 and in 2011 was presented with an award by Amver on behalf of the US Government.

The company’s services provide clients with the information they need to maximise operational performance and to safeguard their assets and crews. More than 1,250 clients and some 40 flags and maritime administrations will utilise Pole Star’s systems and services which provide support for operational and regulatory responsibility to more than 30,000 ships worldwide.

In addition, through its merger with the Absolute companies, Pole Star will now also provide Fisheries Vessel Monitoring Solutions to fisheries authorities in over 20 countries; including location monitoring of over 6,000 commercial fishing vessels operating under 35 flags, catch reporting solutions for an additional 2,000 vessels and the calculation of fishing activity and quota data to support environmental programs for the sustainable harvesting of fish stocks.

For more information, please contact:

Colin Hook, Chief Executive Officer

Pole Star Space Applications Limited

Tel: +44 20 7313 7400