Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been awarded global certification from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) to perform required surveys of shipboard radio equipment.

The ABS certification authorizes service engineers from Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine business unit to perform inspections of the ships’ Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) communication equipment. The GMDSS inspections will be conducted by Sperry Marine’s service offices in more than 40 locations around the world.

Under the international Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention, cargo ships over 300 gross tonnage must be equipped with a minimum suite of radio equipment to communicate with Rescue Coordination Centers. The requirements include a mix of satellite and terrestrial radio systems and vary according to the ocean region in which the vessel operates. Regular inspections of the GMDSS installations are required under the SOLAS regulations.

Founded in 1862, ABS is a leading international classification society devoted to promoting the security of life, property and the marine environment through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine-related facilities.

Sperry Marine, headquartered in Charlottesville, Va., and with major engineering and support offices in New Malden, United Kingdom and Hamburg, Germany, provides smart navigation and ship control solutions for the international marine industry with customer service and support through offices in 16 countries, sales representatives in 47 countries and authorized service depots in more than 250 locations worldwide.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $30 billion global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.

For commercial sales inquiries, contact Northrop Grumman Sperry Marine by phone, +1 (434) 974-2656 or by e-mail, sales_commercial@sperry.ngc.com. For military sales inquiries, call +1 (434) 974-2134 or e-mail sales_military@sperry.ngc.com