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Astrium Services News

16 Aug 2017

Marlink's Maritime President Discusses the Future of Communication

Tore Morten Olsen (Photo: Marlink)

In maritime satellite communications, an industry sector defined by change, Tore Morten Olsen, President Marlink Maritime is a rock: a model of continuity and a wealth of knowledge. He has 22 years of experience in the satellite communications sector, starting out as a technical product manager in 1994 and moving on to hold several senior management positions with Telenor, Marlink and Astrium Services / Airbus Defense and Space and now Marlink again. While various sectors of the marine industry are suffering…

15 Mar 2016

Marlink Opens Office in Singapore

Marlink has moved to a new office in Singapore in order to meet the growing demand for delivery and support of its portfolio of multi-band, business critical communication solutions for maritime customers operating in Southeast Asia. The original Marlink Singapore office was opened in 1998. The new Marlink Singapore office adds new facilities and potential while continuing to be a vital resource for local and international vessels through delivery of sales, installation and support services. The new office managed by Eric Jan Bakker, Head of Sales Asia in Marlink, includes a fully equipped support center operating seven days a week, in addition to live test, demonstration and training facilities, covering all of Marlink’s core connectivity services and solutions.

10 Nov 2014

MR Interview: Erik Ceuppens, SVP, Satellite Communications, Airbus Defense & Space CIS

“We will not slow down.”  Erik Ceuppens

Transformation in the maritime communication sector continues, as Airbus Defense and Space announces plans to sell its commercial satellite communications business. MR spoke with Erik Ceuppens, SVP, Satellite Communications, Airbus Defense & Space Communications, Intelligence & Security (CIS), to help put the development in perspective. The maritime communications sector has been in near continual flux for nearly two decades, with merger and acquisition activity a constant. In tandem with development of innovative software solutions…

14 Feb 2014

Astrium Services Renamed Airbus Defence and Space

Astrium Services, the global innovative provider of satellite enabled solutions, has announced that it will operate with immediate effect under its new name Airbus Defence and Space, a division of Airbus Group. The change from Astrium Services to the new Airbus Defence and Space is part of a rebranding throughout the wider EADS organization. Earlier this year, EADS became Airbus Group, with three distinct divisions: Airbus, Airbus Defence and Space, and Airbus Helicopters. The entire Astrium Services portfolio of satellite communications and geo information services will continue under the newly created Communication, Intelligence & Security (CIS) business line of Airbus Defence and Space.

02 Jan 2014

Five Minutes With: Tore Morten Olsen, Astrium Services

Astrium Services took a survey of seafarer’s usage of crew communication solutions in the commercial shipping sector to establish a picture of mariner communications requirements. According to Tore Morten Olsen, Head of Maritime Services, Astrium Services, the survey was illuminating in more ways than one, helping to shed light on modern comms usage for onboard business and personal reasons. MLC 2006 is here. What is your sense that ship operators and owners will incorporate an increased availability of communications solutions for seafarers? The MLC asks for “reasonable access to ship-to-shore telephone communications, and email and Internet facilities, where available.” The wording is quite soft. Plus it is located in the non-mandatory guidelines. So there’s some room for interpretation.

19 Dec 2013

Astrium, Inmarsat Sign Distribution Agreement

Photo: Inmarsat

Astrium and Inmarsat have reached a strategic distribution partnership agreement which will see Global Xpress services made available to Astrium Services’ large partner and customer base. Astrium Services will deliver Global Xpress high-speed broadband services through its worldwide distribution channels. The strategic agreement will cover key vertical markets, including the maritime as well as the government and defense sector, initially in Europe. In due course the Astrium Services Global Xpress offering will encompass all service types – packaged services…

05 Dec 2013

Pronautas Equips CFL Fleet with VSAT

CFL Industrial More

Dutch shipping company CFL has chosen Pronautas to implement the proven Ku-Band VSAT connectivity solutions on all vessels in their fleet. Headquartered in Amsterdam and well known for its innovative market approach, CFL owns and operates a fleet of young and flexible eco-friendly multi-purpose vessels. Pronautas was selected to provide the VSAT solution thanks to its experience and competence in connectivity solutions, satellite communications, navigation systems and full service support. The decision for a fleet-wide roll out was made by CFL after a successful three-month trial period.

31 Oct 2013

Astrium Extends Ku-Band VSAT Coverage

Astrium Services, the global provider of satellite enabled telecom solutions, is again expanding its global VSAT coverage following the signing of new separate Ku-band capacity agreements with Eutelsat and SES. the company said new capacity secures more coverage and better performance in existing coverage spots. Enhanced capacity on Eutelsat’s E36B will provide improved services and more bandwidth for Astrium Services customers operating in the Mediterranean and Middle East, in addition to the area North of Norway and Russia (Barents Sea).

25 Oct 2013

VSAT Network Expands over North Sea and Europe

Astrium Services, the global innovative provider of satellite enabled telecom solutions, is expanding its VSAT coverage with 100MHz of Ku-band capacity on the Intelsat 907 satellite, to serve customers on the North Sea and across European waterways. As previously announced by Intelsat, the coverage agreement will enable Astrium to address significant demand from the company's core maritime transport and customized Ku-band VSAT segments, including customers in the North Sea oil and gas sector, where an increasing number of specialised vessels are pushing the boundaries of maritime VSAT usage. In 2013, Astrium Services' direct sales channel Marlink provisioned services aboard vessels in the North Sea with high capacity requirements, in some cases up to 12 Mbps, from ship to shore.

30 Sep 2013

Seismic Vessel Sends Data to Shore Using VSAT

Marlink supplied a 12 Mbit/s dedicated return link for the Atlantic Explorer.

Marlink successfully completed delivery of Ku-band VSAT services based on a 12 Mbit/s dedicated return link for the Atlantic Explorer, a Petroleum Geo Services (PGS) owned seismic survey vessel. The high throughput link was an upgrade to Atlantic Explorer’s existing Sealink customized VSAT service supplied by Marlink. The service was used during a four week North Sea survey project, enabling seamless transfer of survey data to shore where it could be reviewed and addressed whilst Atlantic Explorer was still at sea.

11 Sep 2013

The Busy Signal

Tore Morten Olsen Head of Maritime Services Astrium Services

As maritime markets continue to recover and interest and investment in advanced communication systems picks up steam, Tore Morten Olsen, Head of Maritime Services at Astrium Services, says the focus now shifts now from simple connectivity to providing specific business solutions at sea. While the evolution of communications at sea has had its fair share of starts and stops, largely driven by overriding economic conditions of the day as well as the stale notion that communications costs are an expense versus an investment…

09 Sep 2013

Astrium Opens Rotterdam Logistics Center

Astrium Services, the global innovative provider of satellite enabled telecom solutions, has opened a new logistics center in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Alongside existing logistics facilities in Houston and Singapore and specialized regional warehouses, like the maritime VSAT warehouse in Stavanger, the new center will play an important part in streamlining the global distribution of VSAT and MSS equipment, to ensure faster delivery times for customers anywhere in the world. The new facility in Rotterdam supports Astrium Services logistics organization in meeting current industry requirements whilst preparing for the continuing strong expansion of the maritime and offshore VSAT business.

12 Aug 2013

Marlink VSAT Supports Simon Møkster Communications

Sealink enables Simon Møkster Shipping to use Lync across its fleet.

Simon Møkster Shipping’s fleet of 23 offshore supply and specialist vessels is now fully connected to the Microsoft Lync platform through Sealink, Marlink’s customized VSAT service. Sealink has enabled the established Norwegian offshore vessel operator to roll-out Microsoft’s standardized business collaboration and communication platform across its organization on land and at sea, resulting in operational benefits in addition to substantial savings in the cost of crew calling.

05 Aug 2013

CMA CGM Add New VSAT Services from Marlink

CMA CGM Jules Verne

Marlink has been chosen by the CMA CGM Group, the world’s third largest container shipping group, to upgrade the majority of its fleet to WaveCall, Marlink’s standardized Ku-band VSAT service. In combination with the XChange solutions platform from Astrium Services, WaveCall will be installed on over 35 CMA CGM vessels, including the CMA CGM Marco Polo, CMA CGM Alexander Von Humboldt and CMA CGM Jules Verne, one of the largest container vessels in the world. As CMA CGM’s fleet covers global trade routes, extensive Ku-band coverage was a key requirement when choosing WaveCall.

04 Jun 2013

Stolt Upgrades VSAT Connectivity Across Tanker Fleet

Photo: Marlink

Stolt Tankers has chosen Marlink to upgrade its entire fleet of deep sea and regional tankers to the Sealink Global Ku-band VSAT service. The contract, signed in April 2013, covers the provision of Sealink to 90 tankers, resulting in significant bandwidth enhancements across the fleet, meeting Stolt’s changing connectivity requirements for operational and crew communication. As the owner of one of the world’s largest and most sophisticated global tanker fleets, Stolt Tankers required a global VSAT service to enable faster…

04 Jun 2013

Astrium Opens New Brazil Office

Astrium Services, a global provider of satellite enabled telecom solutions, has opened a new office in Rio de Janeiro. The new office will focus on sales and support for service providers in the region. It will also be an important link for Norwegian customers of Marlink – Astrium Services’ direct sales channel – many of whom have significant operations in Brazil. The new office is run by newly appointed Sales Director and Country Manager for Brazil, Fabio Riccetto. With over 20 years’ experience in telecom sales and marketing, Riccetto provides the much needed local connection in Brazil. Under Riccetto, the new office will be responsible for direct and indirect sales and will support current and prospective Service Providers and End Users in Brazil.

30 Apr 2013

Astrium Upgrades SkyFile

Photo: Astrium

Astrium Services released an update for its SkyFile Mail software, which provides more user flexibility and cost reductions on regular maintenance in addition to offering more possibilities to “Bring Your Own Device” on board. The new monthly update of SkyFile Mail Anti Virus improves security and features a new automatic notification that prompts the Master to update the Anti Virus software over the air. User flexibility is improved with SkyFile Mail v8.25 through enhanced I4 device control, which with the addition of JRC and Furuno, is now available for all types of FleetBroadband terminal.

23 Apr 2013

Hartmann Reederei Upgrades Fleet Communication Systems

Photo: Hartmann Reederei

German ship operator Hartmann Reederei chose Marlink to supply standardized Ku-band VSAT services to a diversified fleet of 74 vessels for an initial three-year duration. Hartmann Schiffahrts GmbH & Co. KG is headquartered in Leer, and encompasses the entire value-added chain of shipping, covering all activities in the maritime transport and logistics sector, as well as those in the shipping market. Upgrading its existing Inmarsat E&E services, Hartmann sought a new communications platform to cater for its most important needs: improve the crew retention…

17 Apr 2013

Astrium Offers XChange Upgrade

Astrium Services released a new software version for its established XChange connectivity platform, which offers a range of new features to facilitate permanent remote access, allow smartphone usage on board and provide improved VoIP capabilities. XChange v2.3 was developed to meet specific customer demands and is available free of charge by a simple firmware update, through a local file or via the embedded over-the-air update feature. The inclusion of new VoIP technology in XChange enables bandwidth savings of over 50%, whilst at the same time offering high call quality and reliability. This makes regular use of VoIP a more attractive option to the crew…

21 Feb 2013

Astrium Crew Survey Reveals SatCom State of Play

A crew communications survey carried out by Astrium Services reveals that a growing number of seafarers see on board Wi-Fi connectivity as essential in order to use their own smartphones, tablets and laptops aboard ships. Social media, especially Facebook was highlighted as one of the most popular web destinations for crews whilst it was also revealed that many seafarers are prepared to pay for connectivity. The Crew Communications 2012 Survey, which was commissioned by Astrium Services to fill the market gap in up-to-date data on crew communications requirements and supported by consultants Stark Moore McMillan, questioned 960 Filipino seafarers during Q3 & Q4 2012. 12% of those surveyed were officers and 88% were general crew.

06 Feb 2013

Astrium Extends Agreement with Intelsat

Astrium Services, a global provider of satellite communications-enabled solutions, and Intelsat S.A., a provider of satellite services, signed a multi-year renewal agreement for C-band capacity to be used by Astrium Services' maritime customers in the Mediterranean, Atlantic Ocean, North Sea and Gulf of Mexico. The agreement will enable the new Business Communications unit of Astrium Services to continue meeting the high bandwidth requirements of C-band customized VSAT users, and supports broadband and expanded capabilities in the cruise, ferry and offshore sectors. Astrium Services will use C-band capacity on Intelsat 907 at 332.5° East to provide fast, reliable data connectivity and voice communication for passengers and operational purposes.

25 Nov 2012

Astrium Highlights New Brand Image & Broadband Solutions

Partners and customers to benefit from extensive multi-technology service portfolio by provider of global satellite-based mobility services. Astrium Services will showcase their latest innovations in maritime communications at the upcoming Seatrade Middle East 2012 from 27 to 29 Nov in Dubai. The new Astrium Services Business Communications entity will host all commercial satcom activities of Astrium Services, serving three main markets: Maritime, Enterprises and Aero. In the maritime market, the company will continue providing services in the same successful structure as today: indirect through the existing, well-established service provider channel whereas Marlink will remain an independent commercial organisation focusing on maritime end customers.

10 Oct 2012

Marlink Commits to 24 Hour VSAT Installation

Rapid installation to save shipping companies’ time & budgets. 24 hours is all it takes to get a VSAT up and running, according to the new commitment that Marlink, an Astrium Services company, is making. The established satcom provider has developed a concise antenna installation and commissioning system that will support engineers and crews to have vessels fully connected to Marlink’s WaveCall standardized VSAT service in just 24 hours. “Through our centrally managed global network of field engineers and service partners, Marlink can have a vessel fully connected on VSAT for voice and data traffic in 24 hours or less,” explains Tore Morten Olsen, CEO of Astrium Services Business Communication, Maritime.

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