Time is money in most businesses today, especially commercial fishing. The efficiency and ease-of-use of each vessel’s wireless data system is a key determinant of fleet profitability.

United Barge Lines (UBL) is the inland barging division of United Maritime Group, specializing in the inland transportation of dry bulk materials. UBL operates a fleet of owned towboats as well as covered and open hopper barges to expedite dry bulk cargoes to and from virtually any spot on the Ohio River, the Illinois river or the Mississippi River, St. Louis and south. The fleet is often out of cellular range, relying on satellite communications for two-way messaging related to dispatch and operations.

Tom Dantin, Vice President of Operations for United Tugs, Inc. is forward thinking when it comes to running the company better, and communications is no exception.

“At United Tugs we’re always looking for better ways to communicate with our vessels,” says Dantin. “Because of the ever expanding requirements put on us by regulators, customers and our own safety management system, we were desperate to find a real time solution to sharing information with our offshore vessels that are beyond cell phone service.”