Crew Have Access News

ClassNK has granted its Innovation Endorsements for Products & Solutions to an internet payment facility V.Pay, an AI maritime camera surveillance solution V.Sight, and a wearable AR smart-glass solution V.Sion, developed by iO3.ClassNK has verified the functions of V.Pay: crew internet payment facility with user-friendly portal, flexible Wi-Fi plans, payment integration, real-time account management and simplified crew internet access.For V.Sight, ClassNK has reviewed: maritime camera surveillance with AI video analytics…

Anglo-Eastern announced its first formal installation of Starlink’s maritime broadband service within its managed fleet ahead of wider rollout in the months ahead.The installation is part of a preliminary order covering a dozen vessels of various ship types and trading patterns, trialed across a number of scenarios before broader roll-out in the coming months. The ship manager said it expects at least 200 installations across its fleet by year-end, with more to follow.“We quietly started our journey a year ago, when Starlink first announced its ‘RV’ service.

Ship management services provider Anglo-Eastern Ship Management has selected maritime communications provider Inmarsat to connect its crew.Anglo-Eastern, which uses Inmarsat's Fleet Xpress services, in 2019 became one of the first companies to sign up for Inmarsat’s crew internet solution, Fleet Hotspot, which, Inmarsat says, provides its seafarers "with reliable, high-speed connectivity and the  freedom to use their devices on board." According to Inmarsat, Anglo-Eastern doubled the free internet allowance for its crew in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on crew welfare.

Mobile satellite communications specialist Inmarsat’s Fleet Hotspot has won the Mission to Seafarers Innovation Award at the Seafarers Awards Singapore 2022.Presented in a ceremony at the Regent Singapore hotel on 6 October, the award recognises Inmarsat for its outstanding contribution to crew welfare."With the well-being of seafarers under heightened scrutiny since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuing crew-change crisis, recent amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 have made crew connectivity a requirement for shipowners.

Mobile satellite communications company Inmarsat aid it has made its Fleet Xpress maritime broadband service available to shipyards. Installed during new building, Fleet Xpress for Shipyards eliminates time-consuming and costly installation works in port, offering owners a pre-fitted very small aperture terminal (VSAT) solution included in the initial cost of the vessel, the company said.“Fleet Xpress for Shipyards is a game-changer for shipbuilders and owners alike, streamlining installation…

E-learning technology and service provider secures £10,000 grant to implement proof of concept for end-to-end crew training solution aboard working ferryInmarsat announced that e-learning technology and service provider Marine Learning Systems (MLS) as the winner of the its inaugural Ferry Open Innovation Challenge, a competition inviting start-ups and SMEs to propose digital solutions that promise to enhance the working lives of ferry crews. Launched in January 2022 in collaboration with the largest ferry operator in Greece…

The U.S. Coast Guard announced in the Federal Register that it is issuing an interim rule as the first step to implementing the statutorily mandated requirements for fire safety on certain covered small passenger vessels. This statutory mandate is in response to the fire and loss of life on the dive boat Conception off the coast of California on September 2, 2019. This interim rule adds additional fire safety requirements for small passenger vessels, including fire detection and suppression systems…

ABB’s newly launched C-CAMs marine automation solution applies to vessel systems, power management, cargo control and tank gauging, designed to improve efficiency and safety by enabling faster troubleshooting and maintenance as well as enhanced situational awareness. It also features a mobile application overview of system data, with the ABB Ability Edgenius Operations Data Manager providing access to the alarm and monitoring data regardless of the user’s location onboard.“C-CAMs…

The Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy has published an update March 16, 2020 to MSIB: Novel Coronavirus – Update (Change 2)An outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) may affect mariners and maritime commerce. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated their Interim Guidance for Ships on Managing Suspected Coronavirus Disease 2019 (see https://go.usa.gov/xdfyG) and Cruise Ship Travel (see https://go.usa.gov/xdfVP).Illness…

Rotterdam based ship management company Misuga Kaiun Holland B.V. selected Marlink to provide unlimited global Sealink VSAT connectivity for its dry bulk, multipurpose and wood chip carrier vessel fleet. Marlink will install one meter Ku-band antennas and integrate a package of solutions and applications designed to provide secure connectivity for business and operations as well as crew welfare.Misuga Kaiun Holland B.V. is the European subsidiary of Japan headquartered Misuga Kaiun Co., Ltd.

Orolia Maritime announces it has signed a multi-year contract with Kongsberg Maritime, a leading global technology corporation specializing in dynamic positioning and integrated bridge solutions (IBS), to provide Netwave NW6000 voyage data recorders (VDR).Thousands of vessels around the world depend on Kongsberg Maritime for safety, operational efficiency and sustainability. Due to significant developments in technology in recent years, the VDR systems previously installed by…

The internet access for seafarers for personal use on board ships more widespread and available than previously imagined and the positive benefits associated with this access outweigh the feared safety concerns around the technology, said a survey.The responses to the survey carried out by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA), with support from the Asian Shipowners’ Association (ASA), indicate that the provision of internet access to seafarers for personal use may have improved the mental health and well-being of seafarers (according to 60% of respondents) and the morale…

IEC Telecom will launch its Orion Edge+ satellite voice and data communication solution during this week’s Sea Asia (April 9 to 11).Orion Edge+ provides high quality, reliable broadband with the ultimate cost effective operational benefits. It also provides flexible data plans with no long-term commitment. This flexibility makes Orion Edge+ ideal for busy offshore support vessels, tugs, and oil and gas contractors.Powered by Thuraya’s Orion IP broadband and Thuraya’s Seastar circuit switched voice terminal…

Inmarsat launches Crew Xpress, a new service for crew available on Fleet Xpress.Connectivity of ships at sea is starting to grow at pace with the evolution of internet connectivity on shore, with the dual needs of data for ship and fleet operations and crew connectivity as the drivers Crew Xpress includes a managed Wi-Fi solution ‘Fleet Hotspot’, a leased antenna, a business use data package, automated billing and a usage revenue recovery scheme to incentivize ship managers to…

Shipowners who want to get the value out of data, applications and smarter shipping have realized that VSAT is the new L-Band, says Malcolm McMasterAt Globecomm we spend as much time as possible talking to shipowners about their communications needs. It’s always a rewarding conversation because we hear about what they actually do with bandwidth, which gives us insight into what systems and solutions might suit them best.Over the last decade that would almost always mean L-Band satellite systems; but this is changing.

ABB will provide the power and propulsion for the first in a series of vessels that mark Ritz Carlton’s first foray into the maritime sector. The 190-meter long vessel has been dubbed the “anti-cruise ship” because it can accommodate just 298 passengers and is aimed at providing a more bespoke service than larger cruise ships. ABB’s solutions will optimize energy efficiency and allow the vessel to be remotely monitored from shore. Two Azipod D propulsors will enable the ship to…

ABS, a provider of classification and technical services to the marine and offshore industries, has successfully implemented the ABS NS Fleet Management Software suite for Hadi Hammad Al Hammam Group, a leading service provider to the oil and gas industry in the Middle East. “The NS software suite is a comprehensive fleet management solution designed to improve data accuracy to inform better decisions in the office,” says ABS Nautical Systems COO Stephen Schwarz. Phase one of the project focused on compliance – integrating the NS Maintenance…

Did you know that there are approximately 1.6 million seafarers today, and that 69% of those recently surveyed say access to crew communications at sea influences their choice of employer? Statistics show that the crew communications market value exceeded $1.39 billion USD last year and although 89% of seafarers understand and feel comfortable using satellite communications technology, there are 78,000 crew who never have access to it. Only 56% of crew always have access to crew communications, and with crew welfare continually a hot topic, increasing access to quality and real-time communications whilst at sea puts owners in a stronger position to attract and retain the right crew.

Access Management Portal (AMP) is now available in the Apple app store. BlueTide Communications (BlueTide) has released Access Management Portal (AMP), BlueTide’s second proprietary iOS app, on the Apple app store. AMP allows for control of wireless networks directly from an iPad device. Designed for Ubiquiti WAP management, AMP is like a fuel gauge for bandwidth. With the ability to monitor usage by network, devices in use by WAP or data use by WAP, AMP delivers a real-time snapshot of how bandwidth is used and by whom. To ensure business-critical applications have sufficient bandwidth to perform, AMP enables customers to block and reauthorize devices instantly. This feature disables wireless access to non-critical devices until business operations are completed.

Egypt headquartered Maridive Group, an international offshore marine and oil support services provider, has chosen to migrate 24 of its Offshore Support Vessels to Marlink’s VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) WaveCall Plus services in addition to one new build vessel. Maridive Group has a globally distributed fleet with an operational footprint covering North & West Africa, the Mediterranean, the Caspian Sea and Latin American countries. The company selected Marlink to upgrade its vessels to VSAT in 2012, and this latest contract adds a further five vessels operating in Venezuela and Brazil, while enhancing Maridive’s communication capabilities for business, crew and safety by upgrading to WaveCall Plus.

The leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services, today announced that Maersk Tankers, the owner and operator of one of the world’s largest fleets of product tankers, has chosen to install Inmarsat’s Fleet Media maritime entertainment service on 30 of its vessels as part of a pilot scheme. Maersk Tankers Head of Vessel IT, Henning Madsen, said “We have chosen to install the new Fleet Media service as we wish to provide our employees with an entertainment system which is up-to-date, with the most recent content and frequently refreshed. Fleet Media is an innovative maritime entertainment solution, which uses Inmarsat’s satellite connectivity to download the latest in Hollywood movies, international films, sports and TV shows to merchant vessels anywhere in the world.

Satcom Global has launched a maritime system bringing seafarers up to speed with today’s ‘connect anytime anywhere’ culture, enabling those at sea to keep in touch with the rest of the world with their own device. The latest addition to Satcom Global’s product portfolio offers ‘Bring Your Own Device’ technology to vessels at sea, where crew can access web-based services via internet café hotspots through their own Apple, Android and Windows, tablets, smartphones and laptops. With the growing demand for technology and communications on-board…

KVH Industries, Inc. introduced the TracVision TV8 maritime satellite TV antenna system. TracVision TV8 is designed to provide the tracking, reception and extended coverage area needed for yachts and merchant vessels calling on ports around the world. It is compatible with nearly all Ku-band services around the globe, and it also supports such services as DIRECTV, DISH Network and DISH HD, and Bell TV in North America, and TrueVisions, Astro, and Sky TV in the Asia-Pacific region.