Onboard Communications News

The Panama Maritime Authority has submitted its accident investigation report on the Ever Given to the IMO which includes the conclusion that “the Captain has command of the ship at all times.”On 23 March 2021, the Suez Canal was blocked for six days after the grounding of Ever Given between March 23 and March 29, 2021. The 20,000 TEU container vessel was struck by strong winds and ended up wedged across the waterway with its bow and stern stuck in the canal banks, blocking all traffic until it could be freed.A critical time period in the incident occurred at about 07:38 HRS / LT.

Asahi Tanker Co., Ltd., Exeno Yamamizu Corporation, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd., and Mitsubishi Corporation today announced their agreement to create a strategic partnership to provide new infrastructure services in the marine shipping industry that focus on electrically powered vessels. Their newly established company, e5 Lab. Inc. (e5 Lab) will work to develop and promote the greater use of these relatively clean modes of marine transport.There are a number of challenges facing Japan's shipping industry (see below)…

Live network testing conducted by Marlink over the newest Intelsat EpicNG High Throughput Ku-band satellite demonstrates that the v65 system will enable users to achieve high throughput connectivity for vessels of all sizes. Maritime satellite antenna systems provider Intellian Technologies said its v65 Ku/Ka band convertible satellite communications system has been independently tested by satellite communications service provider Marlink and exceeds all expectations in terms of performance efficiency on the company’s newly launched 60cm global network.

Newport Exhibition Group, owners and producers of the Newport International Boat Show, announced today the 2016 Education Series for this year’s Boat Show. Greatly expanding on past offerings, the Newport International Boat Show will host  on-water courses, seminars and demonstrations, giving showgoers plenty to look forward to beyond the excitement of new boat debuts and boating gear. This year’s education opportunities include Confident Captain’s At The Helm instruction program; the CruiserPort University seminar series presented by PassageMaker, Sail, Soundings and Power & Motoryacht; and Sail America’s Discover Sailing program.

KVH provides and Harvey Gulf employs possibly the most sophisticated on-board SATCOM and related service package on the water. That’s no accident. If quality service, high tech hardware and quality personnel are the common bonds shared by marine communications provider KVH and its customer Harvey Gulf International Marine, then the relationship is probably a match made in heaven. Harvey Gulf, already a long-time user of the KVH suite of services and equipment, is today converting every vessel in their rapidly expanding 60+ fleet to the latest and greatest equipment standard. From where they sit, that means KVH. For its part, the business relationship allows KVH to showcase to every other customer and potential user as to what is actually possible at sea in today’s environment.

Astrium Services took a survey of seafarer’s usage of crew communication solutions in the commercial shipping sector to establish a picture of mariner communications requirements. According to Tore Morten Olsen, Head of Maritime Services, Astrium Services, the survey was illuminating in more ways than one, helping to shed light on modern comms usage for onboard business and personal reasons. MLC 2006 is here. What is your sense that ship operators and owners will incorporate an increased availability of communications solutions for seafarers? The MLC asks for “reasonable access to ship-to-shore telephone communications, and email and Internet facilities, where available.” The wording is quite soft. Plus it is located in the non-mandatory guidelines. So there’s some room for interpretation.

Maritime Communication Partner (MCP), a global provider of onboard communications solutions, has announced the recruitment of two highly experienced senior executives to lead its dedicated Offshore and Cruise and Ferry Business Units. Tom Lowehr, until recently the Head of Program Management at Astrium Business Communication, has joined as Senior Vice President (SVP) of the newly launched Offshore business unit, while Lars Munkso, formerly of US stock-listed energy services group Cameron, becomes SVP of the Cruise and Ferry business unit.

Maritime Communications Partner (MCP) was chosen by Princess Cruises to outfit the Sun Princess with on-board 3G wireless communication services. MCP, a global onboard communications partner, announced that the Princess Cruises ship - Sun Princess - is the second cruise ship in the world to offer their passengers 3G mobile communication services at sea. The California based cruise operator launched 3G on their vessel the Sun Princess at the end of May this year. This new service has provided the ships passengers and crew with MCP’s latest mobile communication technology to access data services and improve the user-experience on board.

Maritime Communications Partner (MCP) has signed an extended contract to deliver wireless communication services to Stena Line’s European ferry operations. MCP, a  onboard communications provider, has announced  the extension of its partnership with Stena Line. The new contract is an extension of the existing contract, and expands MCP’s wireless communication services on to an additional two Stena Line vessels. These vessels include the former Scandlines vessels Sassnitz and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The new contract will ensure the most reliable end-to-end wireless services available. Passengers will have access to state of the art mobile communication services, with MCP enhancing today’s GSM service with higher bandwidth systems like 3G and LTE in the coming years.

Arendal, Norway - Maritime Communications Partner (MCP) has strengthened its foothold in the U.S. cruise market through a major telecommunications contract with Norwegian Cruise Line. The contract includes the entire fleet and two large new builds. MCP’s contract with Norwegian Cruise Line covers cellular telephony and pre-paid services to passengers and crew in the existing fleet and the two yet-to-be launched cruise ships. All the ships will be equipped with a state-of-the-art network, enabling future migration to 3G and LTE technologies. “The mobile communication needs of our guests are changing rapidly,” said Ross Henderson, Norwegian’s Vice President of Onboard Services.

Maritime Communications Partner (MCP), the leading onboard communications partner to cruise and ferry vessels, has strengthened its foothold in the US cruise market through a major telecommunications contract with Norwegian Cruise Line. The contract includes the entire fleet and two large newbuilds. MCP’s contract with Norwegian Cruise Line covers cellular telephony and prepaid services to passengers and crew in the existing fleet and the two yet-to-be launched cruise ships.  All the ships will be equipped with a state-of-the-art network enabling future migration to 3G and LTE technologies.

Maritime Communications Partner (MCP) has strengthened its foothold in the Mediterranean through a major turnkey telecommunications contract with Corsica & Sardinia Ferries, one of Italy’s most prestigious ferry operators. The five-year contract covers Mobile Telephony, Mobile Internet, WiFi and VSAT for eight passenger ferries and plays a key role in supporting Corsica’s ongoing aims to provide crew and passengers with competitive wireless communications backed by a highly reliable quality cellular network.Corsica & Sardinia Ferries are one of the biggest operators on the Western Mediterranean Sea transporting about 3.5 million passengers annually aboard their ferries running to and from France and Italy to Corsica and Sardinia.

Maritime Communications Partner (MCP), provider of onboard communications to the global cruise fleet, has announced a new five-year contract with Germany’s Aida Cruises for the supply of wireless mobile services and systems to three, 2,174 passenger new builds. The contract for three consecutive new builds in 2010, 2011 and 2012, follows the completion of the installation of wireless cellular systems onboard Princess Cruises, Cunard Lines and P&O Australia ships. It is MCP’s first contract with the German-based AIDA Cruises. The scope of supply covers GSM, GPRS and SMS, and complete turnkey installation including the delivery of network equipment and services, engineering and product management, network design, operation, and system integration.

KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI) announced a new promotion at the Palm Beach Boat Show in West Palm Beach, FL that will allow boaters to save money while putting satellite communications on their vessels. The promotion offers a $1,000 airtime credit to customers who purchase a new TracPhone 252 satellite communications system through June 30, 2009, and activate their Inmarsat mini-M service using Inmarsat Airtime by KVH. The TracPhone 252 offers a single-cable, self-contained design. This system also allows the user to simultaneously connect telephone/PABX systems, fax machines, and computers to create a versatile onboard communications center. And with Inmarsat’s near-global mini-M satellite coverage, reliable, high-quality telephone service is always available. (www.kvh.com)

OSLO, Norway and ROCKVILLE, Maryland (October 27, 2003) - Marlink today announced that it has signed a five-year agreement with the owners of the MV Mona Lisa, represented by Kyma Ship Management, Inc. of Miami, Florida, to provide complete satellite communications onboard the vessel. The agreement calls for Marlink, a company within Telenor Satellite Services formed to serve as the preferred interface between maritime customers and the satellite communications industry, to provide Sealink high-speed communications service. Operating at speeds up to 2 Megabits per second, the Sealink solution allows guests and crew to enjoy greater access to the Internet, e-mail, fax services, and telephone service.

Maritime Telecommunications Network (MTN) announced an agreement with Silversea Cruises to provide a complete package of onboard communications capabilities. MTN’s DirectNet technology will allow passengers and crew members to use any type of communications desired, including: receiving and transmitting seamless voice, data and email services via satellite worldwide. The World Wide Web is readily available at MTN's onboard Internet Café with online computer stations, and MTN’s technology also facilitates WiFi “hot spots” for wireless Internet access. With MTN’s new Maritime Satellite Television Networksm (MSTV), using MTN’s global satellite network and onboard communications enhancements…