Panasonic News

EU antitrust regulators will decide by Feb. 13 whether to clear U.S.

Maritime connectivity and IT solutions provider Marlink Group has completed the acquisition of ITC Global from Panasonic."The acquisition, backed by Apax Partners sas, marks another milestone in the company’s M&A strategy. Within the Marlink Group, ITC Global will focus on Energy and high-end customers who need specific and complex managed network solutions. ITC Global is also further extending the Group’s global footprint with its strong presence in the US, the UK, and Australia…

Maritime connectivity and IT solutions provider Marlink Group has obtained final regulatory approvals to acquire 100% of ITC Global from Panasonic. "The Marlink and ITC Global management teams are preparing for a swift closing of the transaction in the coming weeks, while remaining fully focused on providing best-in-class services to their customers across the world," Marlink said."Both the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) have given their approval to the deal.

The global provider of mobile satellite communications Inmarsat and the Panasonic Avionics Corp subsidiary ITC Global have announced a five-year strategic collaboration.The partnership enables the organisations to combine their highly complementary, market-leading services to offer broadband connectivity, paired with high-value connectivity solutions to customers in the maritime, yachting and offshore energy sectors.ITC Global will offer Inmarsat’s market-leading Fleet Xpress service, incorporating the Ka-band solution into its existing comprehensive range of Ku-band connectivity services. Fleet Xpress for Offshore is powered by the Global Xpress Ka-band network…

The global offshore oil and gas seismic equipment and acquisitions solutions market stood at around $660 million in 2018 and is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 5% to cross $890 million by 2024.According to a report by ResearchAndMarkets, the growth of global offshore oil and gas seismic equipment and acquisition solutions market is majorly attributable to rising investments in oil & gas exploration activities, stability in crude oil prices and an increasing number of strategic partnerships.Moreover, the increasing demand for oil and gas is resulting in rising exploration activities to find more oil and gas reserves, which in turn, is further fueling the growth of global offshore oil and gas seismic equipment and acquisitions solutions market.In terms of type…

Thuraya Telecommunications company, a subsidiary of the Al Yah Satellite Communications company (Yahsat), has partnered with ITC Global to set up Thuraya VSAT+, the ground-breaking maritime satellite service.ITC Global is a subsidiary of Panasonic Avionics Corporation. The partnership gives Thuraya access to Panasonic’s global mobility network, which enables the Ku-band element of the Thuraya VSAT+ service.Thuraya launched VSAT+ in Q4 2018. The service offers global coverage, best-in-class data rates to meet growing demand for high-throughput services…

AST Marine Networks, a division of The AST Group (AST), won a contract to supply Dutch shipping company Spliethoff with global VSAT and L-band satellite communications to more than 80 vessels across multiple fleets.Worldwide ocean transport and dry cargo specialists Spliethoff has chosen AST as its supplier of global satellite communications. Together with network partner ITC Global, AST will provide Spliethoff with a global Ku VSAT network, failover L-band services, hardware and bandwidth as well as 24/7 manned support.

Panasonic Avionics Corporation (Panasonic) announced that in partnership with its subsidiary, ITC Global, it has been awarded a four-year contract by TUI Cruises for connectivity services to two new-build cruise ships, Mein Schiff 1 and new Mein Schiff 2.The agreement establishes communication capabilities onboard the vessels serving guests and crew, enhancing the user experience during the cruise line's travels across international waters. Germany-based TUI Cruises is a joint venture between TUI AG and Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. Headquartered in Hamburg, TUI Cruises voyages sail across the globe from the Baltic and Mediterranean Seas in Europe…

Ship connectivity, smart data and cybersecurity will be central themes on the agenda at the fifth SHIPPINGInsight Fleet Optimization Conference & Exhibition. The annual maritime technology forum and trade show will take place at the Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa in Stamford, Conn., October 18-19. “The confluence of high-capacity satellite bandwidth and new ship analytics programs is enabling unprecedented capabilities for actively managing ships at sea to improve efficiencies in operation and reduce costs,” said SHIPPINGInsight co-director Jim Rhodes. “Ship managers are now able to extract actionable data from ship sensors and systems to identify trends and anomalies and make smarter business decisions for optimizing their assets.

As the maritime industry continues to evolve, the need for developing well-trained, knowledgeable and tech-savvy port leaders of the future has never been greater. Last April, the Port of Los Angeles announced its first-ever Fellows Program, an educational initiative focused on developing the next generation of maritime and port leadership. The one-year, on-the-job experience for graduate students officially kicked off in June with the selection of three fellows from some of the region’s top universities. “What students learn from a book or in their classes is just one part of the equation,” said Doane Liu, deputy executive director at the Port of Los Angeles.

The launch yesterday of  the Intelsat 29e, the first of the Intelsat EpicNG high throughput satellites, promises to usher in a new era of "Big Data" in the maritime sector, among others. The satellite was launched from French Guiana aboard an Ariane 5 vehicle. Manufactured by Boeing and equipped with advanced digital payload, Intelsat 29e will bring high throughput capacity in both C- and Ku-band to North and Latin America and the North Atlantic region. Intelsat 29e will be placed into service at 310° East, where it replaces Intelsat 1R.

The Japanese technology firms are using their experience in saving energy and in cloud technology to help farmers cope with changes in climate, cheaper imports and declining labor. Panasonic, Fujitsu and others looking for an opportunity in a niche market to offset the decline in demand for consumer electronics, are working in greenhouses and controlled by automatic sensors to ensure constant conditions to produce high quality vegetables all year fields . Fujitsu says its agricultural system Akisai cloud means users can sit behind a desk in Tokyo, or even in New York, while cultivating vegetables in Shizuoka, using a tablet to control sprinklers, fans and heaters in response to changes in the temperature and humidity detected by the sensors in fields or greenhouses.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced the completion of the hybrid car carrier Emerald Ace at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) Kobe shipyard, an innovative ship which is designed to generate zero emissions while berthed. Emerald Ace was built as world’s first newly built hybrid car carrier, and is equipped with a hybrid electric power supply system that combines a 160kW solar generation system – a system jointly developed by MHI, Energy Company of Panasonic Group, and MOL - with lithium-ion batteries that can store some 2.2MWh of electricity.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) announced the completion of the hybrid car carrier Emerald Ace, designed to generate zero emissions while berthed, at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI; President: Hideaki Omiya), Kobe shipyard. The Emerald Ace was built as world’s first newly built hybrid car carrier, and is equipped with a hybrid electric power supply system that combines a 160kW solar generation system(*) - jointly developed by MHI, Energy Company of Panasonic Group (President: Masato Ito)…

The ship is expected to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 4 percent on a two-month voyage to Europe, officials said. The 199-meter-long vessel can carry 6,400 passenger cars. The 768 solar power panels installed on its deck have an output capacity of 160 kilowatts, enough to power 50 average households. Energy is stored in 324,000 lithium-ion batteries below decks and fed through to the engine. Excess energy is used to power the ship’s radar instruments, lighting, air conditioning and other equipment. The Emerald Ace shuts down its diesel engine and relies totally on batteries when in port.

Tokyo - Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. (MOL) has announced the launching of the hybrid car carrier Emerald Ace at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI). The Emerald Ace, designed to generate zero emissions while berthed, was designated as a project to reduce CO2 emissions from ocean-going vessels, and earned MOL a subsidy from Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) in 2009. The Emerald Ace, slated for delivery in June, 2012, will be the world’s first newly delivered hybrid car carrier and begin test operations of its hybrid power system. The vessel’s hybrid system represents a significant step forward in realizing ISHIN-I, the concept for the next-generation car carrier MOL announced in September, 2009.

MOL President, Mr. Akimitsu Ashida, released a New Year Message to the MOL Group companies and their customers. MOL is a multi-modal transport company, operating more than 800 vessels and a network of liner and logistics services, including weekly Transpacific, Transatlantic, Americas and Asia-Europe services. Mr. In the United States, the Barack Obama administration starts this year. As you know, he won a long, hotly contested election race under the campaign slogan "Change…

The advent of increasingly advanced technology used onboard boats, rigs and ships, and the computers and software designed to make them work, has resulted in the demand for a new breed of ruggedization. While rugged computer equipment has been used for years in many industries, including maritime, the very nature of the marine business demands performance above and beyond conditions found anywhere else on earth. Panasonic — in an attempt to answer the calls for rugged technological capability onboard boats, rigs and ships — offers its Toughbook series of portable computers, designed to meet most any technological need while beating the elements. Panasonic recently unveiled the newest version of its Toughbook ruggedized notebook PC, a unit that incorporates the Intel Pentium II 333MHz CPU.

The APL Panama finally broke free from the sandy beach where it ran aground Christmas Day. It was 4:40 a.m. when the 874-foot container ship returned to the sea. Less than three hours later, the vessel was two miles offshore, undergoing inspection of its hull, while bulldozers worked to restore the beach where the ship spent the past 75 days. Under general average, the commonly used international legal procedure, the expenses will be shared by the vessel's German owners, Mare Britannicum Schiffahrtsgesellschaft MBH & Co.; APL, the global container transportation company that chartered it; and the numerous cargo interests. The amounts are subject to negotiation.