MOL Installs Marine Broadband on LNG Carriers
Enhancing Safe Operation by Always-on Connection.
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) announced that its subsidiary MOL LNG Transport Co., completed installing a high-speed, monthly fixed-charge (flat rate) Internet service “OceanBB” for vessels using VSAT*1 provided by SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation (SKY Perfect JSAT; President: Shinji Takada), on the MOL LNG-managed Wakaba Maru and four other LNG carriers in October 2011.
Since July 2008, MOL, MOL LNG, and SKY Perfect JSAT conducted a joint on-board trial operation of marine broadband on LNG carriers managed by MOL LNG. As a result, MOL LNG confirmed that the system was effective for vessel operation, and decided to proceed with installation, thereby:
(1) Enhancing communication by e-mail and telephone between shore and vessels.
(2) Rationalizing onboard telecommunication operations.
(3) Improving easy access to weather and hydrographic information, which will contribute to safe and efficient vessel operation from both qualitative and quantitative aspects.
(4) Improving onboard lifestyle quality by providing Internet access to seafarers.
In addition, MOL LNG installed Japan’s first IP vessel telephone service, “BIZTEL Ocean,” featuring a cloud IP connection provided by a SKY Perfect JSAT’s business partner Link, Inc. (president: Motoharu Okada), and allowing for extension-to-extension calls between shore and vessels. This will significantly reduce the charge of telephone calls for both vessels and on-shore personnel.
MOL set enhancement of safe operation as a key strategy in its midterm management plan “GEAR UP! MOL”, and forges ahead to become the world leader in safe operation. Adoption of this new service and new technology is part of that plan. MOL takes an ongoing and proactive stance in the development and introduction of various technologies that will contribute to safer operation.