Japan’s Ministry of Land & Transportation has granted approval for Entel’s HT649 GMDSS handheld portable to be sold to Japanese vessels.

Entel is the first foreign manufacturer to attain approval from the Ministry, which is known for setting exceptionally high approval criteria, in order to block the glut of inferior products made in neighbouring countries.

Mr Yoshio Ogura, president of Entel Japan was confident that the HT649, which already has MED wheelmark approval, would pass the Ministry’s additional rigorous tests that are required over and above those of the MED standard. “We are delighted at what is, effectively, a top level endorsement of Entel radios’ build quality and exacting specification”, he said.

Entel Japan is now free to market the HT649 GMDSS radio to Japanese registered fleets and vessel owners, with a proven product that not only meets Japan’s stringent Ministry standards but has also emerged as one of the most competitive and highly spec’d, military grade handheld portables on the market.