Marine communication unmatched

Marine Data Solutions (MDSol), market leaders in Namibian maritime surveillance technologies, announced this week it has acquired a majority shareholding in Marine Radio Acoustic Devices (MRAD), providers of a wide range of brands in electronic equipment for the marine and fisheries industries.

The acquisition further enhances MDSol’s aim of providing its customers, which include maritime authorities and related industries, with a holistic product offering in all aspects of marine technologies and systems, according to Steve Nell, managing director of MDSol.
“We are extremely pleased that MRAD has joined the MDSol group of companies, and believe our respective areas of expertise will bring a new and hitherto unmatched – level of service, technology and product support to our mutual customer bases,” said Nell.
Part of the global Konigsberg group, MDSol provides state-of-the-art maritime systems and solutions, with the largest installed base of marine domain awareness (MDA) technologies on the African continent.
MRAD, established in 1998 by Eddy Elschot, General Manager, and Brad Baker, Workshop Manager, specialises in on-board vessel systems technology, including radar systems and sonar devices, among others. With strong brand equity in the market, the company will continue to operate independently under its own brand name, albeit under the MDSol Group ‘umbrella’. “While MRAD has enjoyed sustained growth over the years, leveraging MDSol’s significant geographic reach and logistic capabilities – as well as their maritime technology excellence – will create significant opportunities for growth which we were not able to previously achieve,” said Elschot
“Our relationship is a highly synergistic one, and both companies will benefit enormously from a shared customer base,” Elschot added.
The acquisition had been ‘on the cards’ for more than two years, during which period the two companies had worked together on various projects.
For MDSol, established in 2004, the agreement with MRAD is a further fulfilment of its strategic vision to be the technology solutions provider of choice to Africa’s maritime industry.
Meanwhile, With over 65 installations along the African coastline, MDSOL’s vision is to ensure safety and security at ports and at sea, while safeguarding the environment. The company’s technology solutions include Vessel Traffic Management and Information Solutions (VTMIS), ports and coastal surveillance systems, automatic identification systems (AIS) and aids to navigation (ATON), among others.