Satellite Service News

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.

Maritime communications and connectivity company Navarino and radio and satellite communication (satcom) solutions provider Cobham Satcom have extended their strategic partnership based on integration of next generation SAILOR XTR antennas with Navarino’s global connectivity services.Navarino, the world’s largest Inmarsat Fleet Xpress Value Added Reseller, also offers a full portfolio of Ku-Band solutions leveraging networks from Intelsat and SES. With Cobham Satcom as a partner…

Network solutions company Marlink and space-based communications company OneWeb announced plans to conduct the first at-sea trial of OneWeb’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) maritime service.The initial integration and evaluation will take place at Marlink’s Eik teleport (Norway), with installation and on-vessel trial scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2022. This represents the first at-sea maritime trial on OneWeb’s maritime satellite service and includes evaluation of the new user terminal created by Intellian with a core module from Hughes Network Systems.

In November 2021, GTMaritime published a white paper: “Maritime Communications - A look over the horizon.” The report, available here, is built around three broad Sections – 1. “Basics of marine Communications;” 2. “The connected ship;” and 3. “Special services.”Then, each Section presents a closer look at various topics. The “Basics” section, for example, covers regulatory issues established by IMO treaties and national agencies. It presents the terms and concepts that define satellite systems and networks…

OceanGate Expeditions has announced Inmarsat as the satellite service provider for the 2022 Titanic Survey Expedition. Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress high-speed satellite service will enable OceanGate Expeditions’ at-sea crew to instantly connect with scientific and operational resources anywhere in the world and to share important findings immediately while enhancing safety for the entire operation. Following the tragic loss of life in the sinking of Titanic, the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) was adopted.

Iridium Communications Inc. announced the commercially availability of its Iridium Certus 100 "midband" service for maritime, land mobile, IoT, aviation and government customers. Iridium Certus 100 provides a blend of capabilities for satellite connectivity, enabling small, low-profile antennas and battery-powered devices designed for maximum mobility, but with IP data speeds that efficiently support sending important pictures, emails and other vital information from remote places…

Following a successful co-development phase, Intellian announced it has entered into an agreement with content and connectivity satellite service provider SES to supply user terminals for SES’s high performance O3b mPOWER communications system. O3b mPOWER will extend and develop SES’s existing Ka-band Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) services, delivering low latency, high bandwidth connectivity at speeds ranging from tens of megabits to multiple gigabits per second to customers across land, maritime and government markets around the world.

Maritime connectivity and IT solutions provider Marlink said it has signed a new service agreement with Stolt Tankers, extending a partnership between the two companies that began in 2011.Under the new agreement, Marlink will provide Stolt Tankers’ fleet of 83 chemical and parcel tankers with a bandwidth upgrade, enabling even greater digitalization of its operations. The package includes version 5.0 of Marlink’s XChange communications management system, which will deliver greater efficiency in IT management processes as well as reinforced cyber security…

Better connectivity, easier data sharing and a thriving IoT start-up scene demonstrate that maritime digitalization is flourishing according to satellite service provider Inmarsat.For many, the lasting consequence of COVID-19 may be the upheaval it brought to the familiar rhythms of daily life. Thankfully the internet enabled a semblance of routine activity to continue, as they worked from home while their children attended digital classrooms.The outbreak forced us to work together yet apart through video conferencing and collaborative online platforms…

Inmarsat has formalized a 50% discount for crew voice calling services available for up to 40,000 ships in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on seafarer well-being.The maritime satellite service provider is also ensuring that calls made to the SeafarerHelp service provided by welfare organization ISWAN (International Seafarers’ Welfare Assistance Network) are available free of charge. In addition, Inmarsat is working with crew healthcare specialist Vikand and software platform provider FrontM…

A set of important amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and various codes mandatory under the Convention enter into force on 1 January 2020, said International Maritime Organization (IMO).Amendments to SOLAS regulations III/3 and III/20 make mandatory the Requirements for maintenance, thorough examination, operational testing, overhaul and repair of lifeboats and rescue boats, launching appliances and release gear. This package of provisions aims to prevent accidents with survival craft and addresses longstanding issues such as the need for a uniform, safe and documented standard related to the servicing of these appliances…

The commercial shipping world can benefit from greater range of communications and reduced satellite costs. Domestic brown water operators know all too well that’s easier said; than done. Until now.In the fast moving world of blue water, deep draft shipping, the availability of reliable ship-to-shore communications has been a non-issue for at least two decades. More than ever, they need it. These longtime users of so-called ship management software and now, sophisticated remote monitoring systems that watch over even the most obscure minutia on board far flung 1,000 foot ocean liners, need (and get) robust and reliable communications.On the domestic, brown water side of the equation? Not so much.

Terrestrial and satellite radio-communications are essential for routine communications and navigation and for ensuring the effective operation of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), to protect lives at sea.International Maritime Organization (IMO)  is at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) World Radio-communication Conference (WRC-19), in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, (28 October - 22 November) with the message that the integrity of maritime radio-communication services needs to be protected.The use of radio spectrum allocated to existing (and future) maritime radio-communication services must be safeguarded.An important item on the WRC-19 agenda is to support the introduction of the Iridium satellite system in the GMDSS…

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…

Marlink entered an agreement with Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T.) to supply its satellite voice and data connectivity services for use on five adventure cruise ships in the O.A.T. fleet.Marlink will provide the O.A.T. Small Ships with a suite of solutions; equipment, bandwidth and operations to reliably meet and exceed guest voice and data requirements; uninterrupted voice and corporate connectivity to facilitate ship management tasks; and flexible connectivity services to…

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…

Network Innovations and its inland waterways connectivity solution eliminates “dead spot” coverage woes. And, not a moment too soon.The bane of inland operators – or at least one of many – has always been the dearth of reliable and economical vessel-to-shore communications. Even in America’s heartland where cellular coverage is routinely billed as seamless, so-called ‘dead spots’ persist. Sometimes, this happens at the worst possible moment for an operator who has myriad far flung assets on dozens of remote inland waterways. For a long time, satellite service has not been deemed economically feasible for inland operators. Beyond that, unlike blue water deep sea operators, there was little need to download data or employ software solutions in every day operations.

Maritime software specialist GTMaritime has appointed maritime satellite veteran Mike McNally as Sales and Marketing Director, as it sets about expanding into new territories.McNally has more than 25 years’ experience working in the industry both at sea and in senior maritime communications management positions. His appointment reflects GTMaritime’s desire to further develop partnerships with its existing customers and resellers, while extending its reach and presence in new territories.As McNally takes up his new role overseeing GTMaritime’s sales and marketing strategy and teams…

A new satellite device that combines the Inmarsat Fleet Xpress Network Service Device (NSD) with the RedPort Optimizer Enterprise satellite router and VoIP gateway was launched by RedPort Global.The single rackmount appliance will manage ship networks with satellite broadband routing, VoIP connectivity and crew services, and replaces at least three pieces of hardware that were previously required for Fleet Xpress installations.The innovative RedPort Optimizer Enterprise NSD for Inmarsat Fleet Xpress gives satellite service providers and ship operators an all-­in-­one solution…

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…

Marlink Japan, the Tokyo-based arm of global maritime communications specialist Marlink is celebrating 40 years in business this month. Established in 1978 as SAIT Marine, Marlink Japan is the second-longest serving foreign-owned satcom company in the country, and has been delivering communication services and support to maritime clients in the region for longer than any other company.With deep cultural understanding and local knowledge, Marlink Japan provides Customer Support, Technical Service, and Sales and Marketing for customers based in, or operating in Japan, Korea and Far East Russia.

Cobham SATCOM's new SAILOR 100 GX High Power Fleet Xpress user terminal is a compact 1 meter, 3-axis stabilized Ka-band user terminal specifically designed to enable Inmarsat’s newly launched high data rate plans packaged for bandwidth-hungry segments, such as offshore support vessels (OSV), global cruise and superyachts. Delivering twice the RF power of standard GX terminals, the SAILOR 100 GX High Power dramatically improves the economics of pushing large amounts of data from ship to shore…

Maritime connectivity services provider Globecomm has appointed J&E Papadopoulos as its new representative to the Greece and Cyprus shipping markets.J&E Papadopoulos will provide sales and marketing services locally as well as pre- and post-sales support, installation, commissioning and technical services for Globecomm Maritime products in the region.Established in Piraeus in 1968, J&E Papadopoulos SA is a distributor of marine spare parts, representing numerous European and U.S.