Privacy Policy
Effective Date: January 1, 2025
SeaMate Buddy ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our maritime tools and services website.
1. Information We Collect
1.1 Information You Provide
- Contact Information: When you use our contact form, we collect your name, email address, and message content.
- Usage Data: Information about how you interact with our tools and services.
1.2 Automatically Collected Information
- Log Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, and access times.
- Cookies and Local Storage: We use browser storage to save your preferences (language settings, voyage calculations) locally on your device.
- Analytics: We use Google Analytics to understand how our website is used.
- Advertising Data: We use Google AdSense to display advertisements. Google may collect information about your visits to this and other websites to provide targeted ads.
- Third-Party Cookies: Google and other advertising partners may place cookies on your device to serve personalized advertisements.
2. How We Use Your Information
- To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
- To improve our website and maritime tools
- To analyze usage patterns and optimize user experience
- To maintain the security and functionality of our services
- To display relevant advertisements through Google AdSense
- To personalize your experience and show targeted content
- To comply with legal obligations
3. Information Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:
- Service Providers: With trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website (hosting, analytics, email services).
- Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights and safety.
- Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.
4. Data Storage and Security
- We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information.
- Most of your data (voyage calculations, preferences) is stored locally on your device and not transmitted to our servers.
- Contact form submissions are processed securely and stored only as long as necessary to respond to your inquiry.
- We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy.
5. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights under applicable data protection laws (GDPR, CCPA, etc.):
General Data Protection Rights
- Access: Request access to your personal information we hold
- Correction: Request correction of inaccurate personal information
- Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information
- Portability: Request a copy of your personal information in a structured format
- Objection: Object to processing of your personal information for certain purposes
- Restriction: Request restriction of processing under certain circumstances
- Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for data processing where consent is the legal basis
Advertising-Specific Rights
- Opt-out of Personalized Advertising: Disable targeted ads based on your interests
- Cookie Management: Control which cookies are placed on your device
- Data Sharing Opt-out: Limit sharing of your information with advertising partners
How to Exercise Your Rights
To exercise these rights, you can:
- Contact us directly at contact@seamate.me
- Use Google Ads Settings for advertising preferences
- Adjust your browser settings for cookie management
Response Time: We will respond to your requests within 30 days (or as required by applicable law). Some requests may require additional verification to protect your privacy and security.
6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use browser local storage and cookies to:
- Remember your language preferences
- Save your voyage calculations and ETA data locally
- Improve website functionality and user experience
- Analyze website usage through Google Analytics
- Display personalized advertisements via Google AdSense
- Enable advertising partners to serve relevant ads
Google AdSense and Advertising Cookies
We use Google AdSense to display advertisements on our website. Google AdSense uses cookies and similar technologies to:
- Show ads based on your interests and previous visits to our site
- Measure ad performance and effectiveness
- Prevent the same ads from being shown to you repeatedly
- Detect and prevent invalid clicks and impressions
Cookie Categories and TCF 2.2 Compliance
We use the following categories of cookies in compliance with the Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF) 2.2:
- Essential Cookies: Required for basic site functionality, language preferences, and maritime tool calculations. These cannot be disabled.
- Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our maritime tools through Google Analytics.
- Advertising Cookies: Used by Google AdSense and other advertising partners to display personalized advertisements and measure ad performance.
- Functional Cookies: Enable enhanced functionality and personalization, such as remembering your preferences.
Managing Cookies and Ad Preferences
You can control cookies and advertising preferences through:
- Our cookie consent banner (managed by Google Funding Choices)
- Your browser settings to block or delete cookies
- Google Ads Settings to manage personalized advertising
- Digital Advertising Alliance opt-out page
- European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (for EU users)
Note: Disabling cookies may affect website functionality and your ability to use our maritime tools effectively. Opting out of personalized ads will not reduce the number of ads you see, but they may be less relevant to your interests.
7. Third-Party Services and Advertising Partners
Our website uses the following third-party services:
Google Services and Data Collection
Important Notice for EU/UK/Switzerland Users:
Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website or other websites. You can opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings.
- Google AdSense: For displaying advertisements. Google may use cookies to serve ads based on your visits to this site and other sites on the Internet. Google Privacy Policy
- Google Analytics: For website analytics and usage statistics. Google Privacy Policy
- Google Funding Choices: For managing cookie consent and user preferences in compliance with GDPR and other privacy regulations.
Other Third-Party Services
- CDN Services: For faster content delivery
- Hosting Services: For website hosting and maintenance
Advertising Partners
We work with Google AdSense and other advertising partners who may:
- Use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your browsing activities
- Show you personalized advertisements based on your interests
- Measure the effectiveness of advertising campaigns
- Share aggregated and non-personally identifiable information with advertisers
How Google Uses Information:
Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services. Learn more about how Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services at How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services.
You can control how Google uses your information by visiting Google Ads Settings.
Important: These third-party services have their own privacy policies and data collection practices. We encourage you to review:
8. Advertising and Data Collection
How Advertising Works on Our Site
We display advertisements through Google AdSense to help support our free maritime tools and services. Here's how it works:
- Personalized Ads: Google may show you ads based on your interests, demographics, and browsing history
- Contextual Ads: Ads may be related to the maritime content you're viewing
- Remarketing: You may see ads for our site when visiting other websites
- Ad Measurement: We and Google measure ad performance to improve user experience
Data Collected for Advertising
Google AdSense may collect and use the following information:
- IP address and approximate geographic location
- Browser type, operating system, and device information
- Pages visited on our website and time spent
- Referring website information
- Ad interaction data (clicks, views, conversions)
- Information from cookies and similar tracking technologies
Your Advertising Choices
You have several options to control advertising:
- Opt-out of Personalized Ads: Visit Google Ads Settings
- Use Ad Blockers: Browser extensions that block advertisements
- Incognito/Private Browsing: Limits tracking across browsing sessions
- Cookie Settings: Disable third-party cookies in your browser
Note: Advertising revenue helps us maintain and improve our free maritime tools. While you can opt-out of personalized ads, you will still see advertisements, but they may be less relevant to your interests.
Non-Personalized Advertising for EU/UK/Switzerland Users:
For users in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, and Switzerland, we may show non-personalized advertisements when you have not provided consent for personalized advertising. Non-personalized ads are still based on the content of our website but are not based on your personal interests or browsing history.
9. International Data Transfers
Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own, including the United States where Google's servers are located. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your personal information in accordance with applicable data protection laws.
Google Services: When you use our website, your data may be processed by Google in the United States and other countries where Google operates. Google adheres to applicable data protection frameworks and provides appropriate safeguards for international data transfers.
10. Children's Privacy
Our services are not directed to children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you become aware that a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us, and we will take steps to remove such information.
11. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Effective Date" at the top. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.
12. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:
Email: contact@seamate.me
Website: SeaMate Buddy
Terms of Use
Effective Date: January 1, 2025
1. Acceptance of Terms
By accessing and using SeaMate Buddy ("the Service"), you accept and agree to be bound by the terms and provision of this agreement. If you do not agree to abide by the above, please do not use this service.
2. Description of Service
SeaMate Buddy provides maritime tools and information including:
- Port information and terminal data
- ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) calculations
- Maritime signal flags and Morse code references
- Gyro error calculations
- MF/HF radio station information
- Other maritime navigation and communication tools
3. Use License
Permission is granted to temporarily use SeaMate Buddy for personal, non-commercial transitory viewing only. This is the grant of a license, not a transfer of title, and under this license you may not:
- Modify or copy the materials
- Use the materials for any commercial purpose or for any public display
- Attempt to reverse engineer any software contained on the website
- Remove any copyright or other proprietary notations from the materials
4. Disclaimer
⚠️ IMPORTANT MARITIME SAFETY NOTICE
The materials on SeaMate Buddy are provided on an 'as is' basis. SeaMate Buddy makes no warranties, expressed or implied, and hereby disclaims and negates all other warranties including without limitation, implied warranties or conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement of intellectual property or other violation of rights.
Navigation and Safety: While we strive for accuracy, the information provided should not be used as the sole source for navigation or safety decisions. Always consult official nautical publications, charts, and follow proper maritime safety procedures.
Port Information: Port data, terminal information, and coordinates are provided for reference only. Always verify with official port authorities and current nautical publications before making operational decisions.
5. Limitations
In no event shall SeaMate Buddy or its suppliers be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damages for loss of data or profit, or due to business interruption) arising out of the use or inability to use the materials on SeaMate Buddy, even if SeaMate Buddy or an authorized representative has been notified orally or in writing of the possibility of such damage. Because some jurisdictions do not allow limitations on implied warranties, or limitations of liability for consequential or incidental damages, these limitations may not apply to you.
6. Accuracy of Materials
The materials appearing on SeaMate Buddy could include technical, typographical, or photographic errors. SeaMate Buddy does not warrant that any of the materials on its website are accurate, complete, or current. SeaMate Buddy may make changes to the materials contained on its website at any time without notice. However, SeaMate Buddy does not make any commitment to update the materials.
7. User Conduct
You agree not to use the Service to:
- Violate any applicable laws or regulations
- Transmit any harmful, threatening, or offensive content
- Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our systems
- Interfere with or disrupt the Service or servers
- Use automated systems to access the Service without permission
8. Intellectual Property
The Service and its original content, features, and functionality are and will remain the exclusive property of SeaMate Buddy and its licensors. The Service is protected by copyright, trademark, and other laws. Our trademarks and trade dress may not be used in connection with any product or service without our prior written consent.
9. Termination
We may terminate or suspend your access immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason whatsoever, including without limitation if you breach the Terms of Use.
10. Governing Law
These terms and conditions are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction where SeaMate Buddy operates, and you irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts in that state or location.
11. Changes to Terms
We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to modify or replace these Terms at any time. If a revision is material, we will try to provide at least 30 days notice prior to any new terms taking effect.
12. Contact Information for Terms
If you have any questions about these Terms of Use, please contact us at: contact@seamate.me
This Privacy Policy and Terms of Use were last updated on January 1, 2025.