Communications Industries News

Intellian has appointed industry veteran Edward Joannides to take the helm of its Americas business unit as General Manager. Joannides’ experience in both the maritime and satellite communications industries spans over 25 years. This includes time at sea as a Chief Officer working for CMA CGM, and senior shore-based posts including Fleet Manager for Northern Navigation, Director of Strategy & Business Development at Inmarsat and most recently Program Manager for SATCOM Services at Northrup Grumman. Joannides has had a longstanding relationship with Intellian and has worked with the company in recent years on various projects, giving him an excellent understanding of the Intellian ethos.

A new online resource providing in-depth, impartial information and advice on maritime VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) technology has been officially launched at Nor-Shipping 2015. maritimeVSAT.com is based on an initiative led by maritime communication services provider Marlink and supported by major industry organizations. Its purpose is to educate the wider maritime industry on all aspects of maritime VSAT by providing a detailed knowledge base and clear understanding of the technology available, thus helping ship-owners to make an informed choice when upgrading vessel and fleet communications. From a neutral standpoint, maritimeVSAT.com provides essential information related to VSAT technology, services and installation.

ABB has been recognized by Thomson Reuters as one of the world’s top 100 innovators for a third year. This award acknowledges companies around the world for their outstanding commitment to global innovation, the protection of ideas and the commercialization of inventions. “This recognition is a strong endorsement. Innovation is ingrained in the DNA of ABB and a pillar of our Next Level strategy,” said ABB Chief Executive Officer Ulrich Spiesshofer. ABB announced its Next Level strategy in September 2014. The company said it will drive profitable growth through focused initiatives on market penetration, innovation and expansion (PIE). In 2014, ABB announced technology breakthroughs including the development of YuMi, the world’s first robot for full collaboration with humans.

An industry-wide lack of technical knowledge is limiting the uptake of new technology in shipping, says Dr. Martin Stopford, author of standard subject textbook 'Maritime Economics'. Now is the time to change this, he believes, in this article from ABB's 'Generations 2014' publication. “I don’t know who in the maritime business has the capability, the budget and the resources to put that sort of thing together. What shipping needs is a Steve Jobs. ”

The late Apple CEO was a good example of how understanding the market, adapting technology and “sticking with an idea” can transform a company, says Stopford. Only with a new generation of tech-savvy decision makers will technology’s potential begin to be explored. “Shipping is an old-fashioned business,” he continues.

Five start-ups presented at round two of the TURN8 Seed Accelerator initiative recently, which was attended by more than 70 delegates, including investors and media professionals at the Meydan Hotel in Dubai. A DP World initiative that was launched last year, Turn8 encourages and supports the realising of innovative ideas from entrepreneurs around the world. The programme also entails an expert mentoring component to help develop their ideas into viable business opportunities. The recent Investor Demo Day saw the culmination of five start-up ideas and their journey over the last four months in developing their business plans, with the aim of sourcing seed funding from prospective backers in the investment community.

Intellian selected David M. Quarders as its new Director of VSAT Sales for the Americas. A veteran in both marine electronics and the communications industries, Quarders will help to drive sales growth for Intellian’s VSAT communication antenna line. “We are very proud to have David join the Intellian team,” said Eric Sung, president and CEO of Intellian. “Intellian has experienced tremendous growth in the Americas in just a few short years. Quarders has more than 20 years of direct and indirect sales and marketing experience in the defense, shipping, oil and gas, and boating industries. He is based in the new Seattle-area Intellian office.

The evolution of satellite communication use at sea closely mirrors that of land-based communication trends: a never-ending quest for speed, reliability and lower costs. While it is foolhardy to select this or any other single technology as the one with the greatest impact on the maritime industry, a strong case could be made for satellite communication. Prior to the introduction of radio, maritime communication was generally limited to line-of-sight visual signaling during clear weather, plus noise-makers such as bells and foghorns. The advent of radio greatly reduced the isolation of ships during emergencies and was quickly responsible for saving thousands of lives. The first ship-to-shore, two-way radio conversation reportedly occurred in 1922, between Deal Beach, N.J., and the S.S.