Network Integrity Assurance Technologies Sdn Bhd (NiAT), the sole provider of satellite communication in Brunei, was recently named second runner-up in the ICT industry category of the Brunei Info-Communication Technology Awards (BICTA) 2022 Royal Patron Award for its software application OBSERVE for Maritime.
“NiAT is delighted to receive the award. This project is a testament to NiAT’s pursuit towards achieving innovative excellence and in striving to provide improved experience for its end-user”, said NiAT’s Chief Executive Officer, Lim Ming Soon.
The application demonstrates the sheer pace of technological innovation that is continuously explored and executed by NiAT to provide unique satellite-based solutions that is aimed to deliver enhanced capabilities for stakeholders in the maritime and port domain.
This platform features vessel monitoring system utilizing satellite-based Automatic Identification System (AIS) and also weather data to provide a near-real-time visualization of maritime situational awareness on top of the user generated content, such as sighting reports and topography layers, that is unique to each user. It is also able to run various analytics such as incident analysis, fleet tracking, geofencing, and a method to index risk and compliance.
As Brunei imports the majority of its food supplies from abroad, it made perfect sense for NiAT to focus its first GIS project on the marine domain in order to increase supply chain awareness and eventually food security. NiAT intends to delve deeper into climate action-related features to assist in mitigating the impact of climate change, such as the rising sea level, warmer and more acidic waters, and more frequent extreme weather conditions, all of which have a significant impact on the livelihood and safety of our coastal communities and the nation as a whole.
BICTA is an annual ICT competition organized by the Ministry of Transport and Infocommunication in collaboration with the Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) and InfoCom Federation Brunei (IFB). The competition is aimed to stimulate innovation and creativity in ICT among individuals, students and local enterprises.
BICTA is also supported by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Darussalam Enterprise (DARe) and Brunei Intellectual Property Office (BruIPO). This year’s BICTA is themed as Smart Nation Through Digital Transformation, which is in line with the Digital Economy Council’s vision and Digital Economy Master Plan 2025 that focuses on the importance of leveraging digital technology for socio-economic development and enriching communities with skills and knowledge to participate effectively in the digital economy.
NiAT, a wholly Bruneian and leading company in the Brunei’s satellite industry, provides cost-effective, resilient, and secure satellite communication connectivity solutions for maritime, remote and rural locations. NiAT is the only telecommunications service provider that can deliver C-band, L-band, and Ku-band satellite connectivity solutions in Brunei Darussalam, and it is licensed and accredited by the Authority for Info-Communication Technology Industry (AITI).
