Ground Infrastructure News

As maritime operators deal with challenging operating conditions, many are embracing digitalization as the most reliable way to lower operational costs and improve vessel efficiency.According to research conducted by Lloyds List Intelligence and Ovum, two-thirds of vessels use digitalization systems onboard. According to the executives surveyed, this is being driven by a desire to improve operating efficiency, with 88 percent already working toward that goal. As part of the process…

Global Eagle Entertainment Inc. (GEE) has acquired Ku-band payload on an SES communication satellite in a move to boost capacity for its customers in North America, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. GEE will rebrand the satellite as Eagle-1. “Eagle-1 is a key element in the strategic expansion of our global satellite network to optimize quality of experience (QoE) for our rapidly growing user base,” said Abel Avellan, president of GEE. “Our vision is to reach hundreds of millions of people on the move around the world with a reasonably priced high-speed Wi-Fi experience that is equivalent to what they get at their homes or offices. To that end, GEE is increasing satellite capacity and upgrading our robust ground infrastructure of owned teleports.

SES S.A. (Euronext Paris and Luxembourg Stock Exchange: SESG) today announced the launch of its global SES Maritime+ service that will deliver high-speed connectivity to vessels traversing oceans. SES Maritime+ will enable maritime customers to have easy access to customisable bandwidth and coverage packages, ensuring satellite capacity is effectively utilised. Vessels traversing the oceans will be offered seamless roaming, leveraging SES’s global fleet of over 50 satellites, extensive ground infrastructure of over 20 teleports and more than 6,000 points of presence. The managed connectivity service combines SES’s global network infrastructure and hybrid satellite capacity with the latest technology from VT iDirect…

This being the “Yearbook” edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News, it would be remiss to not have coverage of LNG, one of the hottest fueling trends in maritime circles, particularly in North America. For a unique insight on a rapidly evolving market, MR caught up with Edward Scott, COO, Excelerate Energy, which is making big strides in the LNG Regasification sector, and recently received on the of the world’s largest and most capable units, the FSRU Experience which he touts as the world’s largest and most capable FSRU.

Telenor Satellite Broadcasting (TSBc), a European satellite operator, and iDirect, a company in satellite based IP communications, jointly announced that TSBc has chosen iDirect’s new Velocity product line as the ground infrastructure solution for its new THOR 7 high throughput satellite (HTS). Using iDirect technology, TSBc will deliver a Ka-band HTS payload of up to nine Gbps of throughput across 25 spot beams, providing capacity over the North Sea, Norwegian Sea, Mediterranean, Baltic Sea as well as the Middle East. TSBc chose the iDirect platform for several reasons. The platform will enable automatic, seamless spot-beam handover across all beams on the THOR 7 satellite, ensuring continuous mobile connectivity.

Cambridge Consultants completes new trials on Iridium-based global push-to-talk radio system; Successful trials of new components of US Department of Defense Distributed Tactical Communications System. Cambridge Consultants, a technology design and development firm, today announced it successfully completed initial trials with Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM) of new key components of the world’s largest push-to-talk (PTT) radio system – the US Department of Defense (DoD) Distributed Tactical Communications System (DTCS). DTCS enables soldiers in isolated areas to communicate without the need for ground infrastructure – and in locations where they often can’t pick up a geostationary satellite’s signal unless they move to higher ground.

McLean, Va. - With the planned commencement of the launch of its next-generation satellite constellation, Iridium NEXT, less than 36 months away, Iridium announced the completion of the satellite preliminary design review phase of the program. This phase concludes the preliminary design and specifications for all elements of the satellite system, including payload, main mission antenna, feeder links and cross links. “The foundation for Iridium NEXT satellite design is complete,” said Scott Smith, executive vice president, Iridium NEXT. Iridium NEXT is on track to further Iridium's position as a vital player in the global communications infrastructure.