Satcom Services News

Cobham Satcom, a provider of radio and satellite communications solutions to the maritime and land mobile sectors, has unveiled Sea Tel 1500, a 1.5-meter dual-band, multi-orbit VSAT antenna solution.Available in single Ku- or Ka-band, or as a ‘two antennas in one’ dual Ku-Ka-band configuration, the Sea Tel 1500 enables vessels to seamlessly switch from Ku- to Ka-band in a simple click. In a world of communication technology transition marked by the emergence of new satellite constellations…

A newly established consortium is going to develop a network for low Earth orbit satellites delivering ice chart data to ships at sea. A new research project called MARIOT (Maritime IoT) is going to develop a low Earth orbit satellite network based on the new VDES (VHF Data Exchange System) technology. The consortium behind the project is headed by the Danish satellite operator Sternula. The satcom developers GateHouse, Space Inventor, and Satlab as well as Aalborg University…

European spaceflight services company Telespazio and the shipping company Grimaldi Group have recently signed two contracts to strengthen the satellite communications capabilities of the Neapolitan shipping group on its fleet of cargo and passenger ships.Telespazio, a joint venture between Leonardo and Thales, said in a press release that the first agreement provides for managing on-board communications for RO/RO, RO/RO multi-purpose and PCTC (Pure Car & Truck Carrier) vessels in the Grimaldi Fleet that operate between Northern Europe, North and South America, West Africa, and the Mediterranean.Specifically, Telespazio will take care of the design and supply of on-board systems for satellite communications and related broadband services, including backup, on a multi-regional scale.

Marlink has moved to larger premises in Houston, ensuring its ability to meet the growing needs of its Gulf of Mexico offshore industry and shipping customers. The new facility includes expanded office space to accommodate growth in sales and support functions at both Marlink and Telemar, in addition to a new warehouse facility to support even more responsive bridge and satcom equipment installation, and on board services. The new Houston location will continue to play an important role in the Marlink Group…

Satellite communication provider Marlink said its Tokyo office has relocated to new, larger premises as the company grows its Japan team to meet the needs of an expanding VSAT customer-base in the region. “The new location is over twice the size, which helps us to accommodate more field engineers, technical support and sales staff, in addition to enabling us to build a new service management function for better coordination and smoother operations towards the customer,” said Shinobu Suzuki, Marlink Japan.

Hamburg-based shipping group Reederei Hamburger Lloyd will move its fleet of nine containerships and six bulk carriers to Marlink’s Sealink Plus VSAT package including unlimited L-band backup. Hamburger Lloyd is a long term customer of Telemar Germany and was looking for a communications solution that provides a quality link for downloading ECDIS updates, which is critical to the fleet’s navigational safety. The company also sees that moving from pay-as-you-go L-band communication services to the pay-monthly VSAT model will provide budget predictability and enable it to offer more crew communication facilities. Designed to provide high speed bandwidth at all times…

Hamburg-based Leonhardt & Blumberg (L&B), one of Germany’s independent charter owner of handysize containerships, has become the first customer for Marlink’s new Sealink Business VSAT service. With Sealink Business on board, L&B’s fleet will operate using guaranteed minimum bandwidth regardless of the amount of data consumed, ensuring availability for business critical applications at all times. L&B will use its new on board communication capabilities to focus on operational improvements, including more electronic document handling and collaboration between vessels and shore-based personnel. While business processes are L&B’s primary driver for using Sealink Business, the company will also be able to improve its crew communication facilities.

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.

Satcom Global, a maritime satellite communications provider, and Intellian, a satellite antenna developer and manufacturer, have signed a strategic partnership agreement covering the global supply and distribution of maritime satellite equipment. Under the partnership, Satcom Global will have access to Intellian’s full range of Ku-Band, Ka-Band and FleetBroadband hardware, supporting the delivery of its portfolio of VSAT and L-Band services to maritime customers across the globe. Ian Robinson, CEO at Satcom Global said, “Intellian is exactly the kind of committed partner we want on our team to help penetrate deeper into the maritime market with a truly world class managed connectivity solution.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) directs the Department of Defense to move toward multiyear leases and hosted payloads to acquire commercial satellite capacity and services. The leaders of the commercial satellite industry have worked for many years to convince Congress that one-year leases are the most expensive and least-strategic method for the Department of Defense (DoD) to acquire commercial satcom services. By leasing commercial capacity on a long-term basis, the commercial satellite industry believes that the DoD will have an opportunity to take a broader approach to planning its space architecture, one that includes both commercial and government-owned satellites.

Offshore energy is a unique animal. I say that because, increasingly, the vessels that provide offshore service are becoming the mainstream of our bluewater merchant marine. Smaller than their containership or tanker cousins – although getting bigger every day – these vessels pack surprising amounts of innovation and technology into every precious inch of their uniquely shaped hulls. As shipyards and operators alike discover that they can build to this scale in a way that competes with foreign yards, the U.S. flag fleet slowly becomes more modern and visible. Along with that comes the realization that this sector has special needs, responsibilities and rules; all of which impacts our ability to produce energy.

France Telecom is pushing hard to advance its position as a single source communications and IT services provider. Corporate consolidation and technological evolution in the maritime satcom domain continue to subdue pricing, helping to level the playing field among service providers. France Telecom, in an effort to tilt the competitive balance in its favor, is embarked on an aggressive campaign to differentiate itself from the competition by positioning itself as a one-stop communication and an IT solution provider, an effort backed by an impressive R&D effort geared to delivering simple-to-use, customer driven solutions. "The challenge is to have our range of value added services, to have them known, understood and used," said Ghani Gehloul, Marketing Director, Maritime.

The competitive satellite communications market has taken an additional step toward consolidation, with Station 12 — an independent operating business owned 65 percent by KPN (Royal Dutch Telecom) and 35 percent by Telstra — leading the way having the intention of cornering the market. Station 12 recently outlined its strategy to double its size in the next three years, both through organic growth and acquisitions. Station 12 already claims to have 24 percent of the competitive Inmarsat maritime and mobile satellite communications sector, with current annual sales of $215 million. This is expected to rise to $500 million by 2003. The company is the largest customer and shareholder in Inmarsat, the leading provider of wholesale satellite airtime.

Part of the curse of corporate consolidation comes in the combining of or complete re-naming of the new entity. The quandary: maintaining critical market awareness of individual brands while adequately communicating the entirety of the new organization's capabilities. Such was the problem facing the new company comprised of Station 12, Telstra Global Satellite and SpecTec. The Netherlands-based Station 12 has been one of the acquisition leaders on the satellite communication fronts, a role that the newly named company — Xantic — promises to continue. "Future consolidation is coming, as margins are (still) very tight, and there is the need to drive volume very high," said Rune Martini, Xantic's vice president of the Americas and Northern Europe.