Inmarsat (LSE:ISAT.L), a leading provider of global mobile satellite communications, announces at Nor-Fishing 2016 that Fleet Xpress is being extended in Northern Europe, demonstrating a new market-specific commitment for the high-speed broadband service, powered by Global Xpress, that is revolutionizing maritime connectivity.
Launched at the end of March 2016, Inmarsat Maritime’s Fleet Xpress service sets a new standard in broadband maritime communications. It achieves the highest levels of reliable high speed connectivity and exceptional performance across the world’s oceans, as well as facilitating innovative applications to enhance safety, crew welfare and operational efficiency. The extension of Fleet Xpress will reach across the North Sea, Norwegian Sea, Barents Sea and Baltic Sea.
“We prioritized this region as a focus for region-specific roll-out after listening to the needs of our customers,” says Ronald Spithout, President Inmarsat Maritime. “We can now address the specific requirements of the large number of fishing and offshore support vessels in the region with segment specific plans. The new plans will enable fishing companies to realize the power of ‘big data’ and to take advantage of revolutionary new applications that together will maximize vessel performance and help save operational cost. We have a number of fishing vessels in the region, such as the MS Smaragd, that are currently migrating from XpressLink, Inmarsat’s Ku-band service to Fleet Xpress, and will be able to benefit from higher speeds and higher capacity in the region.”
“We also realize there are a great deal of offshore support vessels based in the region with a need to transfer real-time operational data to the oil majors back ashore to help drive efficiencies and save costs.”
Reliable connectivity will also address welfare issue for crews. Commercial fishing crews have a close affinity with mobile technology – on average bringing three devices each on board*. In offshore, the presence or lack of internet often determines crew retention rates.
“Fleet Xpress allows seafarers easy and reliable connectivity,” says Mr. Spithout. “For mariners working in some of the most demanding conditions at sea, links to friends and family are vital, while Internet access alleviates boredom during downtime.”
Fleet Xpress roll-out is proving to be “a game changer for every market we engage with”, Mr. Spithout says. The combination of high-speed connectivity and new capacity, together with applications to support crew welfare and safety, we truly are taking maritime communications to the next level. We are delighted to announce extended coverage of Fleet Xpress across Northern Europe on the first day of Nor-Fishing 2016.”
The new segment specific plans will be announced in Q4 2016.
- Source - Crew Connectivity Survey Report, 2015, Futurenautics
About Fleet Xpress
Fleet Xpress is the maritime service powered by the Global Xpress network – based on Inmarsat’s I-5 generation satellites and the FleetBroadband I-4 satellites. Inmarsat has already announced plans for further Ka-band and L-band service enhancements, after contracting with Airbus at the end of 2015 to build the first two satellites in its sixth-generation I-6 fleet.
Fleet Xpress delivers a unique, fully integrated dual capability of high speed, high capacity services (Global Xpress) together with high reliability safety-level services (FleetBroadband) in a single commercial package which is available across the globe. Fleet Xpress is further enriched by Inmarsat Gateway, a unique service enablement platform designed to provide ship owners, managers and operators with access to a new generation of value-added maritime applications, services and solutions.
Fleet Xpress will be taken to market through Inmarsat’s powerful and committed direct and indirect sales channels. Over 7,500 vessels have already committed to the Fleet Xpress service to date.
