Satellite Solution News

Russian maritime shipping company specializing in petroleum and LNG shipping Sovcomflot has chosen Orange Business Services to deploy an advanced Maritime VSAT solution on eight vessels.According to a press release from the the business services arm of Orange S.A., this initial rollout will keep the ships connected even when operating on the high seas, improving safety and optimizing navigation in challenging conditions.In addition, this solution will make it easier for crews to stay in touch with friends and family, which is essential to keep staff morale high.The first ships to receive the solution during this initial rollout phase are the Arctic shuttle tankers Mikhail Ulyanov and Kirill Lavrov, which are the largest oil tankers built in Russia.

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.

NSSLGlobal has signed a Service Provider agreement with Iridium Communications Inc. that will see NSSLGlobal offer the new Iridium Certus L-Band service as part of its portfolio of maritime satcom offerings to its extensive customer base. Iridium Certus will be offered both as a standalone L-Band service and in conjunction with NSSLGlobal’s premier VSAT IP@SEA service as its preferred service assurance offering. The Iridium Certus service is suitable for vessels across the maritime spectrum, from recreational yachts and workboats to commercial fishing trawlers and merchant vessels.Iridium Certus will initially offer speeds of up to 352kbits but by early 2019 this will double to 704kbits ensuring that the service will be the most global and fastest L-Band satellite solution available.

Maritime connectivity provider Globecomm has reported rapid adoption of its new global VSAT service. Globecomm VSAT, powered by iDirect is a high-capacity satellite solution designed to deliver ‘industrial strength’ connectivity to fixed and mobile assets on a global basis. The service provides a broad range of high-throughput applications over a robust, flexible and scalable network designed specifically to deliver shared services and private networks to customers in maritime and energy markets.

Marlink and Intelsat S.A., operator of the world’s first Globalized Network, announced that itsstrategic agreement – initiated in 2014 to introduce improved maritime offerings to the marketplace  – continues to pay dividends for the companies and the maritime end-users. Marlink continues to roll out additional connectivity services via Intelsat’s Globalized Network which includes secure access to Intelsat’s global Ku-band capacity and terrestrially managed network, IntelsatOne. Marlink is now preparing to deliver a quantum improvement in throughput that will help satisfy end-user demand as the first of the Intelsat EpicNG satellites is on schedule to be integrated into the network solution in the second quarter of 2016.

MTN Government Services CTO Richard Hadsall appointed to World Teleport Association (WTA) Board. Hadsall founded MTN more than 30 years ago and today serves as the chief technology officer for MTN Government Services (MTNGS). Richard Hadsall’s teams drove the first full-motion satellite video broadcasts at sea for a military vessel, for a research vessel and for a cruise ship. Hadsall led key engineering advancements to help main networks such as ABC, NBC and CNN report on major live events around the world. He has driven delivery of critical content for the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. embassies, and major heads of government, including U.S. presidents.

MTN Satellite Communications (MTN) wins VSAT service contracts from four specialised luxury cruise ship operators. •    Windstar Cruises , a sailing luxury small ship cruise line based in Seattle, Wash. “Our team at MTN recognizes that no two customers are alike and it is our job to develop communication solutions that not only meet, but exceed their unique communications requirements,” said Brent Horwitz, senior vice president and general manager for MTN cruise and ferry services.

Connectivity and Communications Complete the Package. The complex task of operating any marine enterprise isn’t getting any easier. Financial, regulatory, operational, environmental and human resource pressures all increase over time. In the brown water, workboat world, these problems are exacerbated by the sheer number of smaller operators struggling to catch up with business requirements that have become increasingly sophisticated, and over a very short period of time. Keeping track of the new subchapter “M” rules…

Under a long-term agreement, MTN will leverage the first Intelsat EpicNG satellite, Intelsat 29e, to provide more than 2 gigabits of capacity for MTN's cruise and yacht customers in the Caribbean. The Intelsat EpicNG platform is a complementary overlay to Intelsat's leading global satellite network. Initially, MTN will utilize capacity on Intelsat's Ku-band mobile global broadband infrastructure. Once Intelsat 29e is launched in 2015, MTN will then partially transition to its custom-designed service on the Intelsat EpicNG platform, enabling MTN to deliver an unprecedented level of throughput in key Caribbean regions, especially for the cruise and yacht sectors.

Marlink, the world's largest maritime satellite communications integrator has announced a new five year contract with German cruise company Aida Cruises, for the supply of its Sealink(T) satellite communications system. Sealink(T) will be provided to five existing cruise vessels and three planned new builds, the first of which will be in operation from spring 2009 with the others in commission in 2010 and 2011. The new contract is a continuation of an existing relationship in the delivery of Marlink's service to the Aida Cruises.

ORBCOMM, a global satellite telecommunications company, entered into an agreement with Fleet Management Solutions LLC to provide wireless data access through its low-earth-orbit satellite network for tracking and managing fixed and mobile assets around the world. FMS is launching their ORBCOMM enabled MLT 300 Series tracking solution nationwide with roughly twenty selected fleets this month. The MLT 300 provides GPS and other critical sensor information to end-users, with an emphasis on reliability and cost effectiveness. For the initial soft launch, the MLT 300 series is targeting the North American market, leveraging more than 130 dealers for sales and support. FMS also offers customers subscription options through its FMAC arm (Fleet Management Acceptance Corporation).

As technologically advanced as communications have become, the bottom line, particularly for business applications, remains basically the same: the need for clear, reliable and cost-effective means to communicate. Trends in the transmission of data, voice and e-mail from ship-to-shore are much like that of land-based operations. The need for more speed and increased reliability are never ending, and the companies that excel are the ones that not only continually innovate, but those that consistently stay on the front of the curve to deliver real-world technologies that deliver benefits in the unique maritime operational environment. In parallel, price pressures are ubiquitous, as shipowners are keen to exploit every outlet to cut costs and generate revenue.

SeaBird Exploration, a provider of seismic services, selected CapRock's new maritime service, SeaAccess Communications, as its satellite solution for three of its seismic vessels. The solution is designed to increase the overall efficiency of fleet operations and to enhance crew morale. The vessels will be provided with IP-based communication services such as phone and fax services, secure access to the corporate network and Internet and real-time reporting capabilities. Network monitoring, maintenance and access to CapRock's 24/7 help desk are also included in the managed solution. SeaBird will leverage the always-on connection to enable ocean bottom and shallow water seismic data to be shared easily between the vessels and technical experts located onshore.

SeaBird Exploration, chosen CapRock’s recently launched maritime service, SeaAccess Communications, as its satellite solution for three of its seismic vessels. The newly-developed solution is designed to increase the overall efficiency of fleet operations and to enhance crew morale. The vessels will be provided with reliable IP-based communication services such as phone and fax services, secure access to the corporate network and Internet and real-time reporting capabilities. Network monitoring, maintenance and access to CapRock’s 24/7 help desk are also included in the managed solution.