Virginia Port Authority deploys Orsus’ Situator to Integrate Multiple Marine Terminals and Provide Situation Response Solutions

Situator transforms routine and emergency plans into actionable, adaptive tasks and procedures and integrates them with virtually any security and safety system

New York, November 27, 2007 - Orsus®, the pioneer in the field of Situation Management, a new holistic approach to optimizing situation planning, response and analysis, has been awarded a contract for its Situator™ product suite with the Virginia Port Authority. The project spans three locations and provides the Virginia Port Authority with a system that integrates video and access control with command and control response capabilities.

The deployment began in early November. Part of the financing for this project came from a $3 million Federal security grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to enhance security at three state-owned marine terminals.

Situator enables the Virginia Port Authority to integrate internal and external data and video communications, police dispatch systems, and command center alert and display systems for three of its facilities – Norfolk International Terminals, Newport News Marine Terminal and Portsmouth Marine Terminal - in one location.  It also supports emergency response and continuity of operations, real-time information exchange within the maritime domain, credentialing, and C-TPAT (Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism) compliance.

Ed Merkle, Virginia Port Authority's Director of Port Security and Emergency Operations stated, "the port has been on an extensive and exhaustive search of the right technology for our emerging command and control center, while we found many solutions, Situator proved to be the best value in the market."

Situator is a security and safety Situation Management software for integrated control rooms. It creates an environment where all current and future technologies, people and actionable procedures are fused into a unified control and management platform. Situator leverages existing security investments and empowers security personnel to focus on exception management. With its advanced, yet easy-to-use planning tools, Situator helps transform routine and emergency plans into actionable, adaptive tasks and procedures and integrate them with virtually any security and safety devices, management systems, dynamic data sources and communication systems.

The Virginia Port Authority owns four general cargo terminals - Norfolk International Terminals, Newport News Marine Terminal, Portsmouth Marine Terminal and the Virginia Inland Port, in Front Royal. In 2006, these ports transported 16.5 millions tons of cargo. The Virginia Port Authority’s terminals span multiple cities and include distribution warehouses, cargo terminals, and an intermodal facility that connects truck and rail to transport ocean-going containers.

With Orsus’ Situator, The Virginia Port Authority can integrate incident reporting, simulate security related events for training purposes and deploy system analysis tools to provide a comprehensive security approach. It enables the Port to also improve risk management, minimize vulnerability and comply with security regulations governing Port facilities.

“The Virginia Port Authority is an early technology adopter and by deploying Situator the Port, for the first time, has an emergency response solution that integrates all of their security functions into a central command and control system,” said Gal Oron, President Americas at Orsus. “Ports and other high-risk facilities demand the most forward-thinking security solutions. Orsus is proud to be able to meet these demands with Situator.”

Situator reduces potentially costly human error, makes it easy to establish and maintain compliance with industry and government regulations and dramatically improves the speed and effectiveness of incident response and recovery while actually reducing operating costs.

Situator is available and fully supported in North America and around the world through a network of security and safety integrators. For more information, or to request a Situator demo, please visit www.orsus.com or contact Orsus at info@orsus.com .

About Orsus
Orsus® is a Situation Management pioneer. Situation Management is a new, holistic approach
to optimizing situation planning, response and analysis. Situator™ is the first comprehensive Situation Management software platform to unify management of the entire Control Room Lifecycle for security, safety and emergency services where the risk of human error can lead
to financial loss, injury and damage to public image. With successful implementation in a
variety of industries and a reputation for innovative ideas and development Orsus possesses
the knowledge, experience and determination to shape the future of Situation Management.

About Virginia Port Authority
The Virginia Port Authority (VPA) is an agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia, reporting to the state Secretary of Transportation. The VPA owns and operates four general cargo facilities on behalf of the state: Norfolk International Terminals, Portsmouth Marine Terminal, Newport News Marine Terminal and the Virginia Inland Port in Warren County. The terminals are operated by Virginia International Terminals, Inc. (VIT) the non-stock, non-profit operating company. The VPA, through terminal earnings generated by VIT, is operationally self-sufficient. The VPA and correlating maritime industry is responsible for 165,000 jobs, $762 million in business revenues and $61 million in state and local taxes throughout the Commonwealth. 

Corporate PR contact:
Shirlee Segev
PR Manager Orsus
+972 3 538 6861
shirlee@orsus.com

Media inquiries contact:
Chelsie Woods
Eclipse Media Group
207-510-0029 (o)
207-730-2396 (mobile)
cwoods@eclipsemediagroup.net

Virginia Port Authority contact:
Joe Harris
Media Relations Manager
757-683-2137
jharris@vaports.com