Inmarsat

Strategizing Connectivity for Fleet Optimization, Remote Ops

Chris Sepp, Vice President of IT at Atlas Corp. (Seaspan), explains how a strategic approach to connectivity, as recommended by Inmarsat, can help shipping companies to realize fleet-wide optimisation, automation and enable remote operations.Digital technologies are becoming an established feature of modern shipping and are critical to the industry’s future success. Capabilities such as AI-enhanced voyage management and IoT-backed condition-based maintenance can make a significant contribution to the optimization and automation of vessel operations…

Inmarsat Launches I-6 F1, Latest Tech Communication Satellite

With a rapid evolution of communication connectitivity need, Inmarsat launched I-6 F1, the first of seven new Inmarsat satellites to be launched by 2024, a key piece of the satcom giant's platform to deliver enhanced ELERA (L-band) and Global Xpress (Ka-band) for Indo-Pacific.Inmarsat confirmed the successful launch of its first Inmarsat-6 satellite (I-6 F1) by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) from the JAXA Tanegashima Space Center in Japan.The Inmarsat-6s (I-6) are Inmarsat’s first ever hybrid L- and Ka-band satellites…

Viasat Buys Inmarsat for $7.3 Billion

Viasat agreed to buy British rival Inmarsat on Monday in a $7.3 billion deal to broaden the U.S. based company’s satellite and land-based communications services.The takeover of London-based Inmarsat comes just two years after it was taken private in a $3.4 billion deal by a consortium of British-based Apax partners, U.S.-based Warburg Pincus and two Canadian pension funds.While Viasat offers connectivity and communications services to residential, aviation and defense customers in North America…

The Satcom ‘Highway’ will Enable Maritime Digitalization & IoT Solutions

Global maritime communications powerhouse Inmarsat earlier this year announced a pair of new tech offerings – ORCHESTRA and ELERA – that are touted as ‘the communications network of the future.’ We caught up with Ronald Spithout, President, Inmarsat Maritime, for additional insights on how these services will power the future of maritime IoT.As digitalization and IoT continues to drive innovation across the maritime sector, satellite communication will serve as the conduit, and smaller, faster and cheaper is the mantra.

Intellian, Inmarsat Launch New FleetBroadband Terminals

Intellian received type approval from Inmarsat for its new FB250 and Fleet One L-band terminals, making it one of the first to market with user terminals for operation on Inmarsat’s catalyst L-band network, ELERA. The FB250 is a multi-functional terminal, either acting as a stand-alone primary communications terminal or combining with Intellian’s market-leading GX60NX and GX100NX to create the perfect Fleet Xpress (FX) solution. The Fleet One terminal is designed to provide an easy-to-install…

Inmarsat Milestones: 10k Ships with Fleet Express Installed, 'Fleet Data Academy' Launched

Ship data consumption is booming, and as digitalization and data trends increasingly drive the maritime world, Inmarsat celebrated a pair of milestones, hitting the 10,000 vessel mark on Fleet Xpress installations and launching its "Fleet Data Academy."Traffic DoublesAccording to Inmarsat, the growth in Fleet Xpress now includes the world’s leading container ship and tanker owners, such as MOL, K-Line and Hapag-Lloyd, offshore support giants like Bourbon, Tidewater and Maersk Supply, as well as growing numbers of yachts, passenger ships and fishing boats.

GOST Debuts New Satellite Tracking Antennas

Marine security, tracking, monitoring and video surveillance systems provider GOST (Global Ocean Security Technologies) announced new antennas offering greater performance for its line of vessel tracking systems – the GOST IDP Series.Inmarsat Data Pro (IDP) is the next generation of communication satellites that have been fully operational for several years. The new GOST IDP Series supports a wide range of enhanced speed, security and location-based machine-to-machine (M2M) services.

Intellian Completes Its Next Gen Global Xpress Portfolio

Intellian launches the latest in its next generation GX range of antennas: the GX60NX, designed specifically and now type approved for use with Inmarsat’s Global Xpress Ka-band VSAT network. This 65cm terminal, the smallest in the range, completes Intellian’s GX portfolio. The GX60NX is suited to smaller commercial vessels, and supports customers across all markets, including leisure and fishing.The Below Deck Terminal (BDT), single cable antenna connection and AptusNX control software are identical to those used for the larger GX100NX, which is already approved.

Inmarsat Enhances Superyacht Connectivity

Inmarsat has revealed plans to triple the number of satellites servicing its flagship Ka-band Global Xpress (GX) network, the high-capacity VSAT constellation behind its Fleet Xpress high-speed mobile broadband service, by 2023 to meet rapidly increasing user demand for data across the globe, including the Arctic region.Inmarsat’s GX fleet is currently composed of four satellites (GX1-4). The initial launches, the first of which is scheduled for this year, will see it augmented by three GX payloads (GX5, GX6A and GX6B) by 2021.

Global Piracy Up in 2018, Gulf of Guinea Leads

Piracy increased on the world’s seas in 2018, with a marked rise in attacks against ships and crews around West Africa, the International Chamber of Commerce’s International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) latest annual piracy report reveals.Worldwide, the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) recorded 201 incidents of maritime piracy and armed robbery in 2018, up from 180 in 2017.The Gulf of Guinea remains increasingly dangerous for seafarers. Reports of attacks in waters between the Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo more than doubled in 2018…

Cobham Launches New SAILOR GX Terminal

Cobham SATCOM's new SAILOR 100 GX High Power Fleet Xpress user terminal is a compact 1 meter, 3-axis stabilized Ka-band user terminal specifically designed to enable Inmarsat’s newly launched high data rate plans packaged for bandwidth-hungry segments, such as offshore support vessels (OSV), global cruise and superyachts. Delivering twice the RF power of standard GX terminals, the SAILOR 100 GX High Power dramatically improves the economics of pushing large amounts of data from ship to shore…

Closest-Ever Volvo Ocean Race Starts Final Leg

After nine months of gruelling competition, the Volvo Ocean Race boats have started the final leg of the closest-ever contest in the round-the-world event’s 45-year history. As the seven competing Volvo 65s passed the Inmarsat-branded start line in Gothenburg, Sweden today, three teams were in a virtual tie for the ultimate crown, with everything to be decided in the 700nm sprint to The Hague. Two teams – MAPFRE and Team Brunel – now sit tied at the top of the overall leaderboard on 65 points with Dongfeng Race Team currently just one point behind them on 64.

Mediterranean - A New Playground for IMOCAs

In line with a sports policy driven by its President HSH Prince Albert II, the Yacht Club de Monaco is organizing the first Monaco Globe Series early June, the first stage of the new IMOCA (2018-2020) Championship. The second will be the Route du Rhum in November which celebrates its 40th anniversary. With nine of the 60-footers already registered and one pending confirmation, the double-handed non-stop offshore race without assistance is a chance for competitors to rack up points towards selection for the Vendée Globe 2020.

Beagle Star to Use Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress for Superyachts

Inmarsat has launched a new and flexible Fleet Xpress plan for superyachts to address the seasonal luxury market, and through its partner e3 Systems has signed up the first superyacht Beagle Star V, a luxury sail yacht, to the plan. The award-winning Fleet Xpress service has become the fastest growing VSAT service in the 2017 commercial shipping market. With additional flexibility being a key demand for the superyacht industry, where voice and video calls, entertainment and social media can vary widely during the season, Inmarsat has developed a new flexible plan for Fleet Xpress to specifically meet the demands of this market.

First Superyacht Signs up for Fleet Xpress Plan

Inmarsat has launched a new and flexible Fleet Xpress plan for superyachts to address the seasonal luxury market, and through its partner e3 Systems has signed up the first superyacht Beagle Star V, a luxury sail yacht, to the plan. The award-winning Fleet Xpress service has become the fastest growing VSAT service in the 2017 commercial shipping market. With additional flexibility being a key demand for the superyacht industry, where voice and video calls, entertainment and social media can vary widely during the season…

Race Boat to Attempt US-Cuba Speed Record

An upcoming world speed record attempt by Nigel Hook and the crew of SilverHook will be a two-for-one as they set out to achieve the fastest crossing from the U.S. to Cuba, and then back. Captain Hook has chosen August 17 to try to set two speed records in what is considered the most technically-advanced offshore monohull race boat in the world. The first objective is a one-way speed record from a point just off the Florida Keys to Havana. If that record is established, then part two will be an equally-fast or faster return trip and a two-way record.

YachtProjects Relocates UK Operation at Solent

[ Press release ] YachtProjects International has relocated its UK operation at one of the country’s premier superyacht refit and repair facilities. The firm is set to expand. After taking the opportunity to move onto the new site at Solent Refit, at Hythe on Southampton Water, it is also soon to open offices in New Zealand and Australia. Solent Refit, which has built its reputation on maintaining and refitting classic and modern superyachts, welcomed the move as it sees a synergy between both companies and what they have to offer.

Cobham Upgrades SAILOR 900 VSAT

Cobham SATCOM has developed a new version of its SAILOR 900 Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) Ku-band antenna, featuring a new Block Up Converter (BUC). The antenna, designed by Cobham, makes it easier and less costly to ensure high availability of service as there is no need for additional hardware. It also delivers the potential for satcom service providers to deliver higher uplink bandwidths. The 20W BUC in the new SAILOR 900 VSAT High Power antenna ensures reliable operation in warm…

Superyacht Success for Fleet Xpress

Inmarsat has achieved the first commitment to its Fleet Xpress service by a superyacht owner just weeks after commercial launch in a deal secured through Inmarsat distributor e3 Systems. The deal represents a major achievement for the service with an existing customer, establishing a position for Fleet Xpress in the highest of high-end markets. Inmarsat-approved Fleet Xpress hardware was installed on sail yacht Juliet at the beginning of May, bringing new era Fleet Xpress connectivity on board the Ron Holland-designed, 44m ketch built by Royal Huisman Shipyard in The Netherlands.