Communication Services News

Rotterdam-based gas-shipping company Anthony Veder has renewed its connectivity agreement with Inmarsat to increase its Fleet Xpress bandwidth allowance. The contract applies to every vessel in Anthony Veder’s tanker fleet."The agreement was reached following a successful trial in which Anthony Veder used the upgraded-bandwidth Fleet Xpress plan to run a data-intensive video-conferencing platform in a busy shipping lane," Inmarsat said."As well as supporting Anthony Veder’s increasing use of enterprise applications for more efficient business processes and seamless collaboration…

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…

Satellite connectivity solutions provider COMSAT said it is extending the life of Inmarsat’s existing satellites through the leasing of an additional antenna at COMSAT’s Santa Paula, Calif. Teleport. The newly leased 12.8m antenna is transmitting and receiving in both C-band and L-band frequencies, bolstering capacity for the Tracking, Telemetry and Command (TT&C) and traffic operations of the Inmarsat satellite network. The Santa Paula teleport hosts Inmarsat’s Standard C equipment…

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…

International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s Polar Code helps ensure that ships operating in the harsh Arctic and Antarctic areas take into account extremes of temperature and make sure critical equipment remains operational.Draft guidance for navigation and communication equipment intended for use on ships operating in polar waters is expected to be finalized by the current session of the Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (NCSR 6, 16-25 January).The guidance will include recommendations on temperature and mechanical shock testing, and on how to address ice accretion and battery performance in cold temperatures.The Sub-Committee will also consider the report of the 14th meeting of the Joint IMO/ITU Experts Group on maritime radiocommunication matters.

Earlier this summer Maritime Reporter & Engineering News ventured to Ålesund/Sunnmøre area of western Norway visiting local manufacturers and suppliers serving the global maritime industry and featuring a series of business and technology presentations by leading sector companies including Inmarsat, VARD Group, Ulstein Group, Brunvoll, Ulmatec, Jets, ABB Marine & Ports, Fostech AS and Rolls-Royce Marine. Tom Mulligan reports on new business developments and technology innovations…

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.

Offshore support vessel (OSV) operator Uniwise Offshore Limited has chosen a new high-speed broadband service to enhance the operations of its entire fleet of more than 30 vesselsUniwise Offshore will use Thaicom’s Nava enabled high-speed connectivity and solutions to focus on operational improvements, including optimized electronic document handling, as well as ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore communications for safer and more cost-effective operations. The company will also be able to improve its onboard communication services including crew welfare and fleet management.

The Plurinational State of Bolivia has become the 104th country to join the International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO), the inter-governmental body that oversees the provision of certain satellite-based maritime distress communication services. The IMSO Convention was adopted by International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 1976 to establish and oversee satellite communications for shipping. Ms. Giovanna Lenny Vidal, Charge d'Affaires, met IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim and IMSO Director General Capt. Moin Ahmed to deposit the instrument of accession to the Convention. The Convention on the International Maritime Satellite Organization was adopted by IMO in 1976 to establish and oversee satellite communications for shipping.

Seafarers depend on a robust distress and safety system when life is in danger at sea. This week’s meeting of the Sub-Committee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue (19-23 February) will be focusing on core areas of International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s work relating to safety at sea. The meeting will review progress in its ongoing work to modernize the Global Maritime Distress and Safety system (GMDSS). The GMDSS was adopted in 1988 to ensure full integration of maritime radio and satellite communications so that distress alerts can be generated from anywhere on the world’s oceans. The modernization plan aims to update the provisions, including allowing for the incorporation of new satellite communication services.

Bergen headquartered Grieg Star has chosen Marlink’s Sealink VSAT Premium for its entire General Cargo Open Hatch fleet of 33 vessels. Operating on multiple routes worldwide, Grieg Star’s ships will benefit from seamless, high bandwidth global VSAT services with unlimited L-band back up included in the fixed monthly fee, ensuring continuous availability of vessel and fleet efficiency enhancing applications. Grieg Star’s decision to enable its digital operations with Sealink VSAT Premium…

Satellite communication services and solutions provider the AST Group said it has recently won a contract with SEACOR Marine International to supply VSAT and failover satellite communications to 30 vessels. The agreement sees AST supplying VSAT and back-up communications for SEACOR’s North Sea and West African fleets providing bandwidth for VOIP and data services over multiple satellite networks enabling vessels to move freely from region to region with no disruption. With SEACOR’s fleet operating in the challenging OSV market, a flexible, affordable and reliable solution was required. As well as competitive pricing and 24/7 support SEACOR Marine were able to benefit from AST’s unique INTEGRA network providing real time application identification and control…

Global maritime mobile operator Telenor Maritime said it will expand communications services for longstanding partner DFDS, deploying its connectivity platform with Premium Wi-Fi, Ka VSAT and mobile broadband backhaul for the Northern European shipping company. “We are moving fast forward into the Networked Society, and we are expecting the same experience whether we are at home or at sea when using our mobile devices,” said Frode Støldal, CEO of Telenor Maritime. “Speed and connectivity are crucial for passengers, and even more so in situations where a mobile device is used for business.

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…

Marlink has launched SkyFile Mail 10.1, the latest addition to its SkyFile messaging portfolio used by thousands of vessels worldwide. SkyFile Mail 10.1 is designed to improve management of SkyFile Mail traffic and user accounts through automatic detection and profile automation, making managing email traffic easier and more cost efficient. The continued development of SkyFile Mail specifically addresses user requirements and enables Marlink to ensure its extensive portfolio of business critical solutions evolves in line with its global Sealink multi-band maritime communication services. SkyFile Mail 10.1 is a free Over the Air (OTA) update on Sealink VSAT and back-up L-band services…

A Marlink commissioned survey of Asian ship owners has confirmed that many shipping companies are ready to embrace the increased capacity and greater data usage enabled by maritime VSAT. Marlink initiated the survey to further deepen its understanding of the Asian markets, align its service development roadmap and ensure the specific needs of Asian customers are met with flexible, cost-effective and innovative new communication services. A key finding of the survey showed that…

Castor Networks has acquired Watum Solutions effective immediately, a prominent supplier of IT networks and satellite communication for the shipping and offshore industry. Watum Solutions is specialized in designing, installing and maintaining IT and VSAT systems on board of commercial vessels, offshore vessels and drilling platforms and is active in Europe, Africa, the Mexican Gulf, the Caribbean Sea and the Middle-East. By integrating Watum in Castor, a one stop shop for the shipping and maritime industry is created…

Marlink has added the first out of four additional Stena Line ships to its multi-band communications network. Marlink now serves the entire fleet of Stena Line vessels, ensuring high levels of connectivity for passengers and crew, in addition to operational applications and commercial businesses on board. Marlink will also further increase available capacity to Stena Line vessels with an additional 10-15%, following the tripled bandwidth increase in June 2016, ensuring that Stena Line can meet the on-going growth in demand for bandwidth at sea.

NSB Niederelbe Schiffahrtsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG (REEDEREI NSB) has chosen Marlink to supply fully managed VSAT services including connectivity and an extensive business critical solutions roll-out for its entire fleet of 50+ vessels. The contract, signed early in July, positions Marlink as NSB’s primary provider of voice and connectivity services, supporting the leading German shipping company to continue improving its crew welfare and operational communication facilities with fully integrated services and solutions. In addition to the management of containerships, tankers, bulkers and offshore jack-up vessels, REEDEREI NSB, Member of NSB GROUP, is active in crewing of its own ships as well as vessels of other parties.

NSSLGlobal announced it has secured a deal with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) subsidiary MOL LNG Transport (Europe) Ltd. to replace the VSAT systems on board MOL LNG’s fleet of 15 liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. According to NSSLGlobal, its new  system meets MOL LNG’s performance and support requirements to deliver faster, more robust operational connectivity and ship-to-shore remote access, alongside improved crew welfare and MLC-2006 compliance. Pete Adsett, IT Supervisor for MOL LNG commented, “Our very thorough tender process concluded that NSSLGlobal has the best combination of network performance, flat-rate pricing and support in the industry. Eleven ships have been completed, and a further three are being worked on.

The Hamburg headquartered John T. Essberger (JTE) Group will migrate the primary communication systems of its entire fleet to Sealink, Marlink’s global maritime broadband VSAT service. The Installation on 22 chemical tankers and nine dry cargo vessels is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Essberger was founded in 1924 as Atlantic Tank Reederei by tank ship pioneer John T. Essberger. The Essberger Tankers division fleet consists of chemical vessels, while JTE Dry Cargo operates a fleet of bulk carriers, multipurpose tonnage and container vessels, as well as cement tankers.

Norwegian marine geophysical company PGS has extended its non-exclusive service agreement with Radio Holland for navigation and communication services onboard nine seismic vessels in its global fleet. Radio Holland is known in the maritime industry for its NavCom and Maintenance services through its global network of more than 80 offices. Radio Holland Norway has worked with two PGS’ vessels (Ramform Atlas and Ramform Titan) on a Service Agreement for several years already. Starting June 10…

Stena Line’s ferry passengers are set to experience new levels of communication services following a upgrade to the VSAT connectivity on board, says Marlink, who has more than trebled the bandwidth in Stena Line’s fleet-wide Closed User Group (CUG) service and integrated GSM 3/4G services for connectivity during voyages in addition to in-port Internet Wi-Fi networks. The upgrade enables Stena Line to offer its passengers faster Internet speeds to meet the growing demand for access to social media and connectivity for working while travelling.