The Communications Network of the Future: Enabling Maritime Digital Maturity

Maritime satellite communications are evolving to serve the ever-increasing data demands of a digitally maturing shipping industry

The twin trends towards decarbonisation and digitalisation in shipping are driving an exponential increase in maritime data usage. With shipowners looking to reduce their environmental impact in line with regulations, they are monitoring vessel and machinery performance by collecting, analysing and transferring significant volumes of data – a series of processes that relies on stable network connections and ample bandwidth.

Shipowners are also adopting sophisticated applications to enhance efficiency, safety and sustainability. Like performance monitoring, running cloud-based applications requires high network stability and considerable bandwidth; and as ships become more digitally mature, with a greater number of advanced applications on board, these requirements only grow.

Ben Palmer, President, Inmarsat Maritime

“Commercial vessels are becoming an extension of the shipping company's head office, and like any modern office, they have significant data requirements,” says Ben Palmer, President, Inmarsat Maritime. “Data is needed not only for monitoring performance and running digital efficiency applications but also for maintaining contact with shoreside headquarters and facilitating remote inspections and maintenance. In data terms, these are all highly demanding activities.”

Another maritime trend driving data usage within the industry is the growing appreciation for seafarer welfare. In recent years, reliable, high-speed connectivity has emerged as a crucial ingredient in promoting job satisfaction and overall well-being among crew. Therefore, shipowners providing personnel with a stable internet connection stand to gain a competitive advantage in crew recruitment and retention.

However, in a maritime industry where requirements are constantly evolving and data usage is skyrocketing, existing connectivity services are being pushed to their limits.Inmarsat's solution is a unique multi-dimensional mesh network that will redefine connectivity with the highest capacity for mobility worldwide and at hotspots around the globe.

“ORCHESTRA – so named because it brings together multiple components in perfect harmony to produce something greater than the sum of its parts – is designed to meet the accelerating bandwidth requirements of modern shipping,” says Palmer. “It combines our geosynchronous – or GEO – networks, ELERA and Global Xpress, with terrestrial 5G and targeted low-Earth orbit – or LEO – satellites.”

ELERA, the world's most reliable and technologically advanced L-band network, provides a critical layer of always-on connectivity with all-weather resilience. Inmarsat's GEO network, Global Xpress, operates in the Ka-band and is the only high-speed mobile broadband network to seamlessly span the world, delivering fast and reliable global coverage with security and full redundancy.

Terrestrial 5G contributes ultra-high capacity at hotspots such as busy ports, straits and sea canals, while LEO is a small, targeted constellation of 150 to 175 satellites that will bring additional capacity over further high-demand areas. Complementing all of this is a dynamic mesh network that allows individual terminals to act as nodes, routing traffic to and from other terminals.

“The result is a single, advanced solution for global mobility that will offer the fastest average speeds and lowest average latency of any network – planned or in existence – with seamless connectivity around the world, thereby enabling the next generation of ships,” says Palmer. “Wherever these data-driven vessels are sailing – whether in an isolated stretch of water or a bustling shipping hub – they will be able to rely on high-speed connectivity for safe, efficient and sustainable operations.”

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Xinde Marine News.