Hertford International Group ("HIG") announces it has entered into an agreement with Multi-Purpose Smart Card, Inc. ("MPSC"), to provide 50,000 dual globally accepted payment card packs for an innovative product to the shipping industry. MPSC has in turn, an agreement to provide the packs to the Maritime Clinics for International Services ("MCIS") based in Manila and Cebu in the Philippines which processes 5,000 medical examinations a month for Seafarers for their further employment in the marine industry. In a first step the medical applications will tested amongst a selected group of ships ahead of the roll out of a live programme. HIG anticipates that the trial will last for a period of 8 - 10 weeks and the programme is being financed by MPSC.

The directors believe that the packs are unique in that they utilize biometric verification to access medical data stored on the chip and medical records stored on the MPSC database. In addition they enable the mariner to send money home from one card to the other, receive their salary and make payments as well as benefiting from the integrated telephony application.

HIG is working closely with Altair Financial Services Ltd and CardBASE Technologies Ltd, of Dublin, (a division of ID Data Plc). to bring together the technology required for the programme.

Paul Marks, Chairman of HIG said "This product marks the beginning of a real, functional use of chip application that is within everyone's reach; the ability to store useful, practical information regarding health, identity, and cardholder's wishes in case of emergency is a quantum leap in available technology. We're working closely with our providers in this ground breaking achievement."

Dr. Mohammed Saeme, MD. PhD, Chairman & CEO of MPSC and MCIS said "These cards will enable us to offer both the mariners and their employers - the shipping industry - the ability to use this card as an ID card, payroll card, phone card, payment card, money transfer card and medical card.

In the event of any medical emergency immediate and efficient biometric direct link to our web servers from anywhere on the planet, can be dealt with, with full access to medical records by accredited medical providers onboard and a shore.

We intend with the MPSC to offer a unique and complete secured and efficient card to the shipping industry for both their mariners and their passengers.

This is a complete card solution combining biometric ID to banking functions as payment, debit money transfer as well as telephony and medical information storage, with access to total and complete medical records.

This will include and not limit to: ECG, Imaging, Laboratory medical information and all forms of medical records with vaccinations, medicines in use allergies etc... as well as medical certificates and other diplomas and official maritime documents.

This will be the first time that an individual's medical file will follow them anywhere in the world and can be updated in real time by an accredited and secured global medical network of providers at sea and on land."

Dr. Saeme is a Norwegian National and an accredited International Expert on Maritime Health with 25 years of involvement in the Cruise and Shipping industry. He is involved in all health and medical aspects in the shipping industry from classic shipping to oil drilling, diving to medical services to the cruise industry. Among his shipping clients are 9 cruise lines (20 cruise ships) where some of them will be starting the trial of the MPSC soon.

Dr. Saeme has participated in many working committees for the UN organizations developing health standards for the maritime industry as World Health Organization, International Maritime organization and International Labor organization as well as others like Shipping Federation and international Transport Federation.

He was medical consultant to The Norwegian Maritime Directorate in Oslo Norway in 17th years.

He was the president to the Norwegian Maritime Medical Association in 7 years.

He is the founder and the first president "two terms" of International Maritime Health Association IMHA.

He is a member of the American College of Emergency Physicians section of cruise ship medicine and board member of the International Council of Cruise line and (CLIA).


With his group of companies Dr Saeme and HIG, will offer the new product MPSC to a number of commercial cruise line companies in March during the Seatrade, the Cruise Line Convention in Miami from March 10th to March 14th 2008.

London: February 18th 2008.

About Altair Financial Services Ltd

Altair Financial Services Ltd was incorporated in 2005 as a global provider of Prepaid Card solutions with enhanced functionality. Altair acquired established transaction processing company, Symmetrex, Inc. in March 2007. Altair is headquartered in London with banking and processing relationships in UK, USA, Asia Pacific and throughout the Latin America and Caribbean regions and issues on behalf of MasterCard(R) and Visa.

Altair's solutions are designed to be flexible enough to provide companies with almost any type of prepaid card functionality, including open and closed loop programs. Through its relationship with MasterCard(R) all Altair cards issued in Europe are based on Chip & PIN technology and are EMV standards compliant. Altair is a certified issuer and transaction processor of contactless (MasterCard(R) PayPassTM) prepaid cards in the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.altair-financial.com or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or +44(0) 20 7659 1140.



CardBASE Technologies is the leading developer of multi-application smart card management software solutions for the Government, Healthcare and Corporate ID markets. Based in Dublin Ireland, CardBASE combines world-class software development expertise with knowledge and experience of security and payments solutions based on smart card technology.