A game-changer for shipyards

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF JLA MEDIA.

Installed during new building, Fleet Xpress for Shipyards eliminates timeconsuming and costly installation works in port, ofering owners a preftted very small aperture terminal (VSAT) solution included in the initial cost of the vessel.

“Fleet Xpress for Shipyards is a gamechanger for shipbuilders and owners alike, streamlining installation, providing remote connectivity from vessel launch, and enabling optimal integration between integral onboard systems”, says Ben Palmer, President of Inmarsat Maritime. “We are delighted to collaborate on the shipyard ofering with JRC and Intellian, two of our Valueadded Manufacturers and trusted partners.” Inmarsat’s newly-launched service enables delivery of Fleet Xpress capability to the shipyard during vessel construction. All terminals, cables, and below deck units are installed as a Fleet Xpress line-ft service, allowing the yard to deliver a one-stop solution to the owner that improves safety and ofers fast and reliable connectivity from the frst voyage.

“Working with Inmarsat to deliver Fleet Xpress for Shipyards allows us to strengthen our relationship with yards as a technology partner for smart vessels,” states Eric Sung, CEO of Intellian. “As one of the world’s top shipbuilders, we’re delighted that Hyundai Heavy Industries is among the frst to recognise the value of this line-ft solution - we’re seeing signifcant interest from yards across all markets.” For shipyards, early installation of Fleet Xpress will enhance responsiveness to growing customer demand for high- >>

speed communications and provide remote vessel monitoring and maintenance capabilities upon delivery. Furthermore, by using data to counter improper claims and ensure preventive operations, shipyards can minimise warranty costs. With the vessel featuring state-of-the-art VSAT equipment at launch, owners and managers are assured that their bandwidth needs are fully integrated and sea-trialled at the point of handover, while the crew has access to fast, ultrareliable connectivity as soon as they step onboard. In addition, Fleet Xpress allows the implementation of a range of digital services and automation onboard the vessel that further delivers advantages for ship performance and crew well-being. According to Mr Palmer, “Fleet Xpress for Shipyards gives shipbuilders the competitive edge of being able to preinstall Inmarsat’s industry-leading Fleet Xpress service. Early interest in the solution has been strong. With the frst implementations executed, we already have several more projects in the pipeline.”

In February, Inmarsat has implemented an agreement with Geoquip Marine allowing the ofshore geotechnical solutions provider to ofer dedicated Fleet Xpress bandwidth as part of its vessel charter arrangements and separated connectivity for personnel onboard.

Four Geoquip integrated geotechnical survey vessels have introduced Fleet Xpress Charterer Network services for sole use by charterers plus connectivity via Fleet Hotspot Wi-Fi services for those working at sea. In a set-up that is unique to Inmarsat, Fleet Xpress allows multiple networks to be connected to the vessel via a single antenna, with activation requiring no new hardware or shipboard installation work. The vessels are

Ben Palmer – President of Inmarsat Maritime.

currently operating of the US East Coast, of Taiwan, and in Europe. “Efectively, the client has its own private, fully secure Charterer Network to handle geo-data, and Fleet Hotspot Wi-Fi connectivity for personnel using either pre-paid or payas-you-go data use models,” says Eric Grifn, Vice President Ofshore and Fishing, Inmarsat Maritime. “The client controls who sees the data, the Committed and Maximum Information Rates (CIR and MIR), and the analytics management.”

Inmarsat has been powering global connectivity and saving lives at sea for over 40 years. And the company doesn’t stop innovating. With Fleet Xpress they have pioneered a transformational service to deliver a new level of highspeed performance across the world’s oceans. Providing maritime innovation, Fleet Xpress combines the high data speeds of their award-winning Global Xpress Ka-band network with the proven reliability of their L-band network to ofer unrivalled speed, continuous connectivity, and guaranteed performance for true global mobility. The Network Operations Centre (NOC) at Inmarsat’s HQ in London is responsible for the co-ordination of all network activities, constantly monitoring the ground network to ensure they stay online. Fleet Xpress is a platform which enhances safety, operational performance, regulatory compliance, and crew welfare. That’s why over 10,000 vessels rely on Fleet Xpress globally day and night; from tankers to container vessels, fshing vessels to superyachts, ofshore support vessels to LNG carriers.

With Fleet Xpress, shipyards can monitor and measure performance against their competition and drive vessel efciencies and performance, and access weather data and telemetry information in realtime. It allows them to beneft from the growth of Internet of Things (IoT) and onboard sensors to resolve queries, make operational decisions, and meet regulations faster than ever with performance monitoring and conditionbased maintenance. Data can be turned into tangible benefts in efciency, regulatory compliance, and crew welfare. A world of possibilities will open up to make the digital feet a reality. Powered by Fleet Xpress, the suite of digital solutions including Fleet Data and Fleet Connect, supported by the unique and rapidly growing ecosystem of application providers, allows shipyards to harness efciencies, reduce emissions and cut costs making the connected ship a reality.

As the dark web continues to develop at pace, so does Inmarsat. They remain steadfast in their pursuit to stay one step ahead of cyber criminals with their independently audited Fleet Secure service. More than just an anti-virus system, Fleet Secure safeguards a vessel and crew against hostile and malicious threats with web content fltering, application control, intrusion prevention, remote monitoring, and crew training. Hostile parties won’t be able to risk the safety and reputation of a feet.