Our technology combines Iridium’s resilient global satellite network, NAL Technologies’ third-generation ALTM™ APNT receiver technology, and SGM Technology’s maritime system architecture into a complete operational solution purpose-built for the maritime industry.
Powered by NAL Technologies’ ALTM™ (Alternative Location and Timing Module), PntGuard utilizes the world’s most mature APNT architecture, with more than 13,000 receivers deployed globally since 2019. The system is built upon Iridium’s proven Short Positioning Data (SPD) infrastructure, validated through years of operational use by government, defence, and commercial organizations.
The Below Deck Unit (BDU), designed and developed by SGM Technology, is the intelligence hub of the system. Built on years of experience delivering technology to the maritime sector, it integrates APNT processing, GNSS monitoring, cyber security, satellite communications, vessel tracking, forensic recording, and bridge integration into a single secure platform designed specifically for maritime operations.
Every layer of the PntGuard system is engineered for resilience. Communications are protected using AES-256 encryption, both over-the-air and over-the-wire, while the BDU features encrypted onboard storage and advanced cyber security designed to maintain operational integrity in the most demanding maritime environments.
Verified Position Source at Sea:
Provides a 100% GNSS-independent position source using an authenticated Alternative Position, Navigation and Timing (APNT) signal. This enables vessels to safely navigate even when GPS or other GNSS services are disrupted, jammed, spoofed, or unavailable.
Global, 24/7 Coverage:
Delivers assured positioning anywhere in the world, including remote oceans and polar regions, through the global Iridium Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation.
Compact Plug-and-Play System:
PntGuard consists of two compact components:
The system integrates easily into existing bridge infrastructure with minimal installation effort.
Proven APNT technology:
PntGuard incorporates proven military-grade APNT technology built on Iridium’s authenticated positioning service.
Compared to conventional GNSS:
The maritime APNT market is evolving rapidly. What differentiates PntGuard is not only what the system does, but how accurately, securely, and reliably it performs when it matters most. Built on proven Iridium APNT technology, NAL Technologies’ third-generation ALTM™ architecture, and SGM Technology’s maritime system design, PntGuard delivers trusted positioning, global connectivity, cyber resilience, and operational intelligence for vessels operating anywhere in the world.
Signal Quality & Accuracy
PntGuard is built upon NAL Technologies’ mature ALTM™ infrastructure—the most validated commercial Iridium APNT architecture available. This delivers exceptionally stable, accurate, and resilient positioning under challenging operational conditions.
Performance Highlights
Naltec’s ALTM Receiver: The Core Technology
PntGuard is powered by Naltec’s ultra-small, embeddable Alternative Location and Timing Module (ALTM).
With more than 13,000 deployed ALTM receivers worldwide, it represents the most mature Iridium APNT receiver technology available today.
Technology Benefits
Naltec continues to innovate the firmware, algorithms, and supporting infrastructure for maximized operational performance across all deployment environments.
Global Tracking & Reporting
PntGuard is more than an Assured Position, Navigation and Timing (APNT) system. It also provides a fully integrated global vessel tracking and reporting capability, ensuring operators maintain continuous visibility of their fleet, even when conventional communications or GNSS services are disrupted.
Using the Iridium® Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, PntGuard delivers 100% global satellite coverage, including the world’s oceans, polar regions, and remote maritime regions beyond the reach of terrestrial communication networks.
Key Capabilities
Unlike conventional vessel tracking systems that simply report the GNSS position, PntGuard transmits the vessel’s verified APNT position together with navigation integrity information, allowing fleet operators, insurers, and authorities to distinguish between genuine vessel movement and manipulated GNSS positions.
GNSS Forensic Recorder
The PntGuard GNSS Forensic Recorder, developed by SGM Technology, continuously records up to 60 days of encrypted operational data, providing an independent, tamper-resistant record of the vessel’s true navigation history.
Operating continuously in the background, the recorder stores one-second interval data and all data is securely stored within the encrypted Below Deck Unit (BDU) and can be quickly downloaded for forensic analysis, incident investigations, insurance claims, regulatory reporting, or legal proceedings.
The PntGuard GNSS Forensic Recorder provides an authenticated record of the vessel’s verified APNT position alongside all detected GNSS interference events, creating a trusted audit trail of what actually occurred.
The Below Deck Unit (BDU) is far more than a bridge display—it is the intelligence hub of the PntGuard system.
Designed, architected, and developed by SGM Technology, the BDU combines years of maritime operational experience with advanced cyber security, APNT processing, satellite communications, GNSS monitoring, and vessel intelligence into a single secure platform.
Drawing on extensive experience in commercial shipping, offshore operations, and maritime navigation, SGM Technology has engineered the BDU to address the real-world operational challenges faced by shipowners, fleet operators, insurers, compliance organizations, and government agencies operating in increasingly contested electronic environments.
Unlike conventional GNSS receivers, the BDU functions as an onboard navigation assurance platform, continuously collecting, processing, and distributing trusted navigation information throughout the vessel.
Cybersecurity is embedded into the PntGuard architecture from the ground up—not added as an afterthought. Every communication channel is protected using military-grade AES-256 encryption, while onboard storage remains encrypted at all times.
PntGuard is designed and developed specifically for maritime operational environments, with security built in at every level. Data is protected through AES-256 encryption both over-the-air and over-the-wire, alongside fully encrypted onboard storage, ensuring information stays secure whether in transit or at rest. The system is also built to defend against man-in-the-middle attacks and includes vessel identity protection, safeguarding both vessel and crew information.
To counter physical threats, PntGuard incorporates integrated anti-piracy features with battery backup, allowing continued operation even if external power or antenna cables are intentionally disconnected. At its core is a secure processing platform handling APNT, GNSS monitoring, forensic recording, and satellite communications.
PntGuard technology is developed within organizations certified to NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-171, CMMC Level 2, and ISO 27001 — because maritime cyber resilience should never be optional.
PntGuard participates in Jammertest, one of the world’s most demanding GNSS resilience exercises. The objective is not to validate the Iridium APNT signal itself—which has already been operationally proven—but to continuously validate and improve PntGuard’s performance under the most extreme interference conditions available.
Operational Validation
PntGuard Maritime capabilities extend beyond onboard navigation assurance with SkyRouter™, NAL Technologies’ secure cloud-based fleet intelligence platform. Together with the PntGuard Maritime system, SkyRouter provides shipowners, fleet operators, insurers, and maritime operations centres with complete fleet visibility, trusted navigation intelligence, and remote system management anywhere in the world.
This industry-leading fleet tracking and communication tool receives authenticated position reports, navigation integrity data, GNSS interference alerts, and system health information from every connected vessel. With SkyRouter, achieve continuous situational awareness across an entire fleet with 100% global coverage, including remote ocean regions and polar waters.
Recognizing that many operators already have established fleet management systems and operational command centers, PntGuard has been designed with an open integration architecture.
SGM Technology provides secure and well-documented APIs that enable rapid integration into existing fleet management platforms, maritime security systems, and operational control centers.
Organizations can integrate PntGuard directly into their own software environments while maintaining existing operational workflows.
PntGuard adapts to the customer’s operational environment rather than requiring operators to change existing workflows.
Customers can choose to:
This flexible deployment model protects previous investments while enabling rapid adoption across fleets of any size.
