Avin International Installs Iridium® Satellite Systems on Tanker Fleet


BETHESDA, Md. - March 14, 2007 - In a move to reduce monthly satellite communication costs, Avin International is installing Iridium® satellite terminals on its fleet of 22 oil and product tankers.

Navarino Telecom, a leading provider of satellite products and services in the Greek shipping market, is supplying and installing the Iridium satellite systems for the Avin ships under a service agreement with Stratos.

Avin is also installing an Iridium terminal at its shore office in Athens to take advantage of the very low rates for Iridium-to-Iridium calls.

"Iridium's unique constellation architecture permits direct end-to-end call routing from one Iridium satellite phone to another without going through an earth station gateway," explained Greg Ewert, executive vice president of Iridium Satellite. "This means there are no additional long-distance charges for routing through landline carriers."

"The transmission path for Iridium-to-Iridium calls is highly secure, making it ideal for confidential or sensitive communications between the ship and office," Ewert added.

"The service plan for Avin International includes inexpensive prepaid crew calling as well as communications with the home office," said Andreas Dimitriadis, director of operations and customer care for Navarino Telecom. "Crew calling charges are automatically separated from other calls to facilitate accounting for satellite airtime."

Ewert noted that Iridium's maritime subscriber base in Greece has increased by 20 percent over the past year and the company's market share in maritime communications continues to grow as more major fleets switch to Iridium.

About Iridium Satellite

Iridium Satellite LLC (www.iridium.com) is the only provider of truly global satellite voice and data solutions with complete coverage of the earth (including oceans, airways and Polar Regions). Iridium delivers essential communications services to and from remote areas where no other form of communication is available. The Iridium constellation consists of 66 low-earth orbiting (LEO), cross-linked satellites and has multiple in-orbit spares. The constellation operates as a fully meshed network and is the largest commercial satellite constellation in the world. The Iridium service is ideally suited for industries such as maritime, aviation, government/military, emergency/humanitarian services, mining, forestry, oil and gas, heavy equipment, transportation and utilities. Iridium provides service to the U.S. Department of Defense. The company also designs, builds and sells its services, products and solutions through a worldwide network of more than 100 partners.

About Avin International

Avin International S.A. (www.avin.gr) was founded and established in 1977. Headquartered in Athens, Avin's fleet of 22 oil and product tankers trade worldwide, the majority of them under the Greek flag. The company provides a high level of service and quality primarily to major petroleum companies. Avin retains a large list of clients by maintaining excellent trading relationships and a high record of vetting inspection success.

About Navarino

Navarino Telecom S.A. (www.navarinotelecom.com) is a leading maritime telecommunications organization, providing a comprehensive range of competitively priced quality products and services to major shipping companies worldwide. Navarino is a prime distributor of Stratos services with a client base consisting of more than 450 shipping companies and a large number of multinational organizations worldwide. The company has its worldwide headquarters in Piraeus, Greece, and has established a steadily growing network of international resellers.

About Stratos

Stratos Global Corporation (www.stratosglobal.com) is a publicly traded company (TSX: SGB) and the leading global provider of a wide range of advanced mobile and fixed-site remote communications solutions for users operating beyond the reach of traditional networks. With its owned-and-operated infrastructure and extensive portfolio of industry-leading satellite and microwave technologies, Stratos serves the voice and high-speed data connectivity requirements of a diverse array of markets, including government, military, energy, industrial, maritime, aeronautical, enterprise, media and recreational users throughout the world.

Press Contacts:

Liz DeCastro,

Iridium Satellite LLC,

+ 1 (301) 571-6257,

liz.decastro@iridium.com

Jim Rhodes,

Rhodes Communications,

+1 (757) 451-0602,

jrhodes@rhodescomm.com

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