Video Conferencing News

The Thome Group announced the opening of its new operations hub at its office in Mumbai.The new hub, which complements the one opened in November 2017 at Thome Group’s head office in Singapore, boosts fleet support using a large video wall comprising of 10 LED monitors to display different monitoring and enterprise resource planning systems simultaneously.The Mumbai hub will be operational 24/7 being equipped with state-of-the-art resources such as video conferencing, CCTV, UPS…

Rotterdam-based gas-shipping company Anthony Veder has renewed its connectivity agreement with Inmarsat to increase its Fleet Xpress bandwidth allowance. The contract applies to every vessel in Anthony Veder’s tanker fleet."The agreement was reached following a successful trial in which Anthony Veder used the upgraded-bandwidth Fleet Xpress plan to run a data-intensive video-conferencing platform in a busy shipping lane," Inmarsat said."As well as supporting Anthony Veder’s increasing use of enterprise applications for more efficient business processes and seamless collaboration…

In November 2021, GTMaritime published a white paper: “Maritime Communications - A look over the horizon.” The report, available here, is built around three broad Sections – 1. “Basics of marine Communications;” 2. “The connected ship;” and 3. “Special services.”Then, each Section presents a closer look at various topics. The “Basics” section, for example, covers regulatory issues established by IMO treaties and national agencies. It presents the terms and concepts that define satellite systems and networks…

Norwegian owner and operator of offshore service vessels Golden Energy Offshore is deploying Inmarsat’s Fleet LTE service to meet the growing data requirements of modern offshore operations and support sustainability.Headquartered in Ålesund, Norway, Golden Energy Offshore owns and operates a fleet of offshore support vessels providing offshore services to the oil, gas, and renewables industries. The company is a long-term Inmarsat customer and also a longstanding user of the satellite communications specialist’s VSAT services.

For decades, the only way to bring global satellite communications onboard a commercial vessel was with a CAPEX-intensive equipment purchase or a long-term lease, inhibiting fleet managers’ ability to adapt to varied operational needs. That changed five years ago when KVH introduced AgilePlans Connectivity as a Service, an innovative, all-inclusive communications subscription service.“We set out to remove the CAPEX barrier and enable accelerated deployment of communications systems aboard vessels around the world,” says Mark Woodhead, KVH executive vice president of mobile connectivity.

Intellian Technologies and SES have unveiled two new user terminals approved for O3b mPOWER, the mP130 for fixed enterprise and the X130D PM for government vessels.This follows on from the multi-year agreement that was signed in October 2021, for Intellian to supply user terminals for SES's O3b mPOWER communications system. These user terminals are the first to be unveiled from the portfolio Intellian is developing, ranging from 85cm to 2.4m.According to Intellian, the mP130 and X130D PM have been engineered in close collaboration with SES and optimized for O3b mPOWER usage…

Mobile satellite communications provider Inmarsat has secured a contract with the Norwegian offshore support vessel owner Golden Energy Offshore to provide its three-in-one network service Fleet LTE, to meet the needs of vessel charterers, crew, and operators.Using Fleet LTE, three Golden Energy Offshore support vessels will be able to switch between Fleet Xpress (Ka-band), FleetBroadband (L-band), and 4G coverage, depending on the strongest available signal, and band selection will be made automatically…

International maritime network Stella Maris has teamed up with tech start-up FrontM to develop a new crew collaboration and wellbeing platform and super-app designed to give seafarers and fishers across the world quick access to Stella Maris's global chaplaincy directory, media content and faith resources.Stella Maris, formerly known as Apostleship of the Sea, is a ship-visiting network with more than 1,000 chaplains and volunteers in 330 ports across 60 countries. Its team makes 70…

A new cruise ship order placed at Meyer Werft this week marks the first since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the German shipbuilder said.The 229-meter, 51,950 GT cruise ship is scheduled for delivery in 2025 to Asuka Cruise, a joint venture between Japanese firms NYK Group and Anchor Ship Partners. It will be fueled by liquefied natural gas (LNG).The order is significant for the cruise industry and specifically for the Meyer Group, whose three shipyards in Papenburg and Rostock…

Kongsberg Digital reports that the Maritime Academy of Asia and the Pacific (MAAP) has adopted its new K-Sim eLearning solution, as well as commissioning installation of a cutting-edge K-Sim Safety firefighting simulator at its premises in the Philippines.K-Sim Connect has provided more than 23,000 cloud-based simulations to customers worldwide this year.MAAP – a leading institution of excellence for maritime education and training in the Asia-Pacific region – has for decades been a pioneer in the use of new simulation-based training tools.

As the shipping industry undergoes major transformation, with operations becomingly increasingly automated, maritime companies need to consider more than just efficiency and safety when it comes to operations. The current global situation has resulted in a growing demand for crew communication, for both work and social purposes, alongside the ongoing need for optimization. All of this causes higher levels of traffic on maritime networks, forcing shipping operators to place an…

With the coronavirus crisis continuing with no end in sight, Techcross says it is using various solutions to solve customer service issues. Videoconferencing has already become the most basic contactless activities, and the engineering team is filling on-site service gaps through new methods such as training local engineers or providing remote commissioning service.The pandemic has made it difficult for Techcross staff to visit clients and conduct factory acceptance tests (FATs)…

Good maritime training provides much more than the certifications, licenses and documentation needed to qualify for the job. It goes beyond preparing crews to carry out onboard functions safely and efficiently day in and day out. Well-trained mariners have the skills and knowledge to handle almost anything thrown their way – even when confronting the unexpected. But what happens when the unexpected is a pandemic?COVID-19’s effects on industries across the world have been widespread and diverse, forcing businesses to adjust to an entirely new set of global circumstances.

Captain Ted Morley is a ubiquitous figure in maritime training circles, the COO and Academic Principal at MPT in Fort Lauderdales. MPT consistently enrolls more than 10,000 students annually, catering to the whole maritime market from super yachts to super tankers and everything in between. He shares his insights on how the current pandemic is changing maritime training, now and in the future.How have you altered your operations due to the pandemic?Even before COVID-19 we designed our main campus to fight viruses and improve air quality.

Better connectivity, easier data sharing and a thriving IoT start-up scene demonstrate that maritime digitalization is flourishing according to satellite service provider Inmarsat.For many, the lasting consequence of COVID-19 may be the upheaval it brought to the familiar rhythms of daily life. Thankfully the internet enabled a semblance of routine activity to continue, as they worked from home while their children attended digital classrooms.The outbreak forced us to work together yet apart through video conferencing and collaborative online platforms…

Singapore-based ship management company Thome Group said it has undergone a series of remote audits with DNV GL in various locations due to the widespread lockdown restrictions across the globe.Thome Mumbai office’s annual ISO 9001:2015 audit was performed online using video conferencing software which enabled document sharing and discussions to take place to verify that all requirements had been met. This was the first remote inspection that Thome had carried out and, because of its successful conclusion…

SINGAPORE, March 24 -- From banks of screens and giant phones in the office, energy traders worldwide are adapting to a laptop in the bedroom -- and it's going surprisingly well.Working from home has become the new norm in the oil trading hubs of Singapore, London and New York as governments encourage physical distancing to curb the spread of coronavirus.While some energy companies have long had facilities in place to allow off-site access to trading platforms and other technology…

Marine services firm Bourbon has signed a contract committing more than 100 offshore support vessels (OSVs) to Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress, the maritime broadband service that combines the speed of Ka-band with continuous back up from Inmarsat’s FleetBroadband operating on L-band.The deal represents a breakthrough offshore contract for Fleet Xpress, which is already installed on some 7,000 vessels - mainly seagoing merchant ships, the company said.“This contract is substantial in…

Switzerland-based global transport and logistics company Kuehne + Nagel International AG has launched a Net Zero Carbon program that will aim to reduce the environmental impact of supply chains.In addition to the continuous reduction of its own CO2 emissions, the company now offers its customers solutions for reducing the CO2 footprint of their supply chain. With the use of big data and new digital platforms, the selection of transport routes and modes can be optimized from a CO2 perspective.Kuehne + Nagel has also decided to proactively address the CO2 footprint of the transportation services performed by its suppliers – airlines, shipping lines and haulage companies. Kuehne + Nagel targets comprehensive CO2 neutralization (Scope 3 of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol – GHG) by 2030.

Brazilian oil company Petrobras has awarded a second charter to the POSH-owned semi-submersible accommodation vessel (SSAV) POSH Xanadu.The 750-pax POSH Xanadu will be supporting Petrobras' production activities in the Campos Basin, right after she completes her current job at the Chevron Big Foot Tension Leg Platform in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The firm contract with Petrobras is for eight months, with an option for an additional eight-month extension.This is the second charter POSH Xanadu has won from Petrobras, having supported the company between 2015 and 2016, also in the Campos Basin. During that time, she received many accolades including achieving zero lost-time injury and close to 100% gangway connectivity…

Sea IT, an independent system integrator specialized in the marine sector, has entered an agreement with Älvtank to deliver and install Sea IT’s complete ICT solution as Älvtank expands its fleet with two new vessels.The agreement covers a full suite of products included in the BlueCORE concept: BlueTV, BlueSAT, BlueSTAR, BlueBOX, BlueCONNECT and the phone service BlueSKY. The first ICT installation has been fully completed on the vessel Ramanda, which now has the highest standard available…

Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS, Vlissingen) has awarded Radio Holland a contract to supply the IT systems on board the state-of-the-art Antarctic Supply Research Vessel (ASRV) newbuild for the Australian Antarctic Division. The 160m ASRV is a survey vessel which combines icebreaking, survey and supply activities. The vessel will be able to break ice up to 1.65 meters at a speed of 3 knots and will supply Australia’s permanent research stations in Antarctica and Macquarie Island with cargo, equipment and personnel.

Cobham SATCOM has unveiled its first Iridium Certus Connected terminal at Nor-Shipping 2017, the SAILOR 4300. Due to go live in the first half of 2018, Iridium Certus is a new portfolio of global satellite services powered by Iridium NEXT, a second-generation L-band global satellite constellation established to deliver an uncompromising solution for the future of global maritime communications. The SAILOR 4300 is a Broadband Core Transceiver (BCX) type terminal, offering a highly reliable link over the Iridium NEXT satellite network with speeds suitable for data-heavy applications including…