Data and connectivity – the keys to a new future

Inmarsat has a series of new satellites to launch to expand and enhance Global Xpress and plans to offer low-latency communications through LEO satellites.

Prior to the conference, Inmarsat and Riviera Maritime Media hosted a roundtable debate between OSV owners and managers, including top executives from companies such as Anglo-Eastern Shipmanagement, Britoil, Caterpillar Marine, E-Nav Offshore, MMA Offshore, M3 Marine, OSM Thome, Synergy Offshore, Tidewater Offshore Operations, Vallianz Holdings and Vroon.

They discussed how vessels can leverage satellite communications to increase connectivity to improve profitability and drive sustainability. They emphasised the importance of real-time data for improving efficiency and finding opportunities for more business opportunities and realising efficiency gains.

Discussions also covered using data for condition-based maintenance and making operational expenditure savings and investing in satellite communications to offer reliable internet to recruit and retain crew.

Anglo-Eastern Ship Management has invested in LEO communications from Elon Musk’s Starlink’s constellation to boost its data consumption per vessel, from 160 GB a day in 2022 to 2 TB in Q3 2023. Its chief information officer, Torbjorn Dimblad, said: “Next-generation satellite communications is transforming connectivity.”

He said Starlink was installed on 100 ships under the group’s management: “They are getting speeds of 100-220 Mbps over Starlink with global coverage from a constellation of satellites designed for consumer broadband.”

“Crew want the same quality internet levels on vessels as in coffee shops or at home”

Crew feedback from these ships is positive, with a 96% improvement in morale, more teamwork on board and more interactions with families. In addition, IT managers use Starlink to patch onboard software and resolve IT issues in a timely manner.

Bourbon chief executive, Gael Bodenes, said the group was adopting digitalisation and high-speed connectivity across the fleet to improve operations and engage efficiencies, enhance safety and crew welfare, and reduce fuel consumption and emissions

“We must adapt, innovate and transform ourselves,” he said, adding, “The connected vessel has gone from being a dream to a priority.”

Communications solutions to OSVs will be expanded following the acquisition of London-headquartered OneWeb by Eutelsat Communications. This adds OneWeb’s growing LEO constellation to Paris-based Eutelsat’s GEO Ku-band satellite network.

Shipowners can combine the latest very-small aperture terminal (VSAT) services over Ku-band with OneWeb’s LEO, increasing coverage and enabling fast communications with redundancy worldwide, including over the Arctic. OneWeb’s network is already active across the northern hemisphere and in Australasia, and is set to be globally operational by the end of 2023.

Eutelsat has also signed agreements with Marlink to deliver high-throughput (HTS) in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Middle East, while Can Marine Systems will provide faster satellite communications to vessels in Asia.

LEO networks have multiple benefits for owners and crew, but cyber-secure redundancy is also required to ensure communications for critical operations. IEC Telecom Group vice president for marketing and communications, Anastasia Kuzmenko, highlighted the importance of LEO and having an L-band back-up with optimised applications.

“LEO will transform marine communications once and for all,” she said. “But, LEO is only a part of this puzzle. To ensure continuous digitalisation, now more than ever, it is essential to equip vessels with resilient back-up infrastructure,” she added.

“Invest in future-proof network management solutions and stay ahead of the curve at all times,” said Ms Kuzmenko. “To ensure success in this new era, it is essential to focus on cyber security and business continuity,” she added.

Elsewhere, Intellian Technologies has developed a flat-panel terminal for OneWeb maritime services. These come in two formats and four different user terminals, based on active electronically-scanned array technology. They also have custom vector-amplifier and phased-array chipsets and software algorithms for beam forming and shaping.

Intellian said these terminals have reliable and accurate beam pointing with optimised tracking, and sub milli-second satellite handovers, even at low elevation angles.

The South Korean group has also started supplying its v45C VSAT terminal to SK Telink for vessel communications over Intelsat’s FlexMaritime multi-layered HTS service.