Vesper Marine receives IBEX Innovation Award for Cortex

(AUCKLAND, New Zealand) — Vesper Marine, a leading provider of innovative marine hardware and software, has announced that Cortex, its new integrated VHF, AIS and monitoring product, has been awarded the 2019 International BoatBuilders’ Exhibition (IBEX) Innovation Award for safety equipment. 

IBEX has been rewarding ingenuity and honoring excellence with the Innovation Awards since 2003 and is one of the marine industry’s most prestigious honors. The Innovation Awards program, organized by the NMMA and judged by Boating Writers International (BWI), recognizes exceptionally innovative new consumer marine products that best meet the criteria of, “Having innovative distinction from other products currently manufactured in the marine industry; providing benefit to the marine industry and/or consumer; providing practicality of use; and are cost-effective.”

Cortex is the world’s first marine VHF with wireless touchscreen handsets, built-in Class B/SOTDMA AIS transponder and remote vessel monitoring. Cortex provides unparalleled safety by alerting boaters of collision risks, providing key information about the situation and making it easy to communicate using VHF, DSC and AIS. Touch-screen handsets make typically complicated functions easy to use. Cortex combines navigation and sensor data with intelligent alarms to prioritize voice alerts on wireless handsets or a connected speaker and the built-in AIS transponder makes the boat visible to other vessels. With a free cellular connection, Cortex provides plug and play remote monitoring for battery state, bilge high water and more, while a subscription enables real-time views, alerts and remote control of onboard devices like refrigeration or air conditioning. For enhanced safety boaters receive Anchor Watch alarms both on board and when they are ashore via smartphone app for complete peace of mind.

“We've always focused on enhancing boat safety by designing products with an emphasis on user-friendly and intuitive interfaces,” said Jeff Robbins, founder, Vesper Marine. “With Cortex we reimagined what VHF could be and how it could revolutionize safety communications. We are delighted by the response we've received and it's an honor to win this award.”

For more information on Vesper Marine or its entire product line, visit www.vespermarine.com. For more information on Cortex, visit www.vespercortex.com.

By Professional Mariner Staff