Making the most of broadband satcoms

Relentless demand from ship managers and crewmembers for faster, more reliable communications has prompted shipping companies to accelerate their plans to upgrade existing networks.

Ship managers are demanding high-performance broadband connectivity to ensure peak performance of a wide range of business-critical applications. They are insisting on a robust platform on which they can perform IT support from shore while a vessel is at sea (remote PC management), including downloading software updates to entire fleets simultaneously. They need to quickly transmit data from ships’ onboard sensors that report engine performance and fuel consumption. Also, they understand how reliable broadband can facilitate rapid cargo tracking, fuel-optimisation programs, video conferencing, telemedicine services and at-sea cellular services.

At the same time, crew members are clamoring for reasonably priced private e-mail, SMS messaging, GSM calling and controlled Internet connectivity for chatting with all major Internet communities, web browsing and access to news services. Ship managers realise they are at a major disadvantage if they cannot offer crew members access to these crew-welfare services. They also know that reducing crew churn can profoundly reduce expenses associated with crew training – while improving morale and productivity.

Comparing alternatives

In hundreds of organisations, the drive to meet these demands has led to a rigorous review of the latest satellite-based solutions. Today, these solutions include compact, economical L-band solutions from Inmarsat and Iridium, as well as higher-priced VSAT offerings that are available in Ku-band and C-band alternatives.

Nearly all maritime organisations share the same general objectives. They want to improve operational efficiency and lower costs. They are eager to deploy systems that can offer faster, more reliable data and voice connectivity. At the same time, they insist on having optimal control over their communications costs to increase operating efficiency.

As they evaluate competing services, ship owners often find that Ku-band VSAT (very small aperture terminal) systems promise high amounts of guaranteed bandwidth for a fixed fee. However, few shipping companies can afford the capital investment and high monthly fees associated with VSAT solutions. Ku-band VSAT systems also are known to provide limited reliability. The reliability of Ku-band VSAT systems can be negatively affected by inclement weather and beam switching – the switching from one satellite coverage area to another.

Instead, the shipping industry has migrated in droves to the latest global L-band satellite solutions that offer broadband bandwidth on a predictable bundled-data basis. This migration is illustrated by the fact that hundreds of progressive shipping companies and naval forces have adopted Inmarsat’s FleetBroadband satellite service on more than 12,000 vessels over the past three years. The service provides simultaneous data and voice communications at speeds up to 432kbps, via compact antennas available in sizes of 25cm or 60cm diameter.

These deployments have demonstrated how upgraded systems can enhance the performance of all critical communications, improve crew welfare, enable remote IT support of vessels at sea, and reduce costs.

In September 2010, Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine Corp. provided the latest example of this trend, as it completed deployment of the FleetBroadband 500 service on its entire fleet of 70 container vessels. Evergreen is one of the world’s largest international shipping companies. The broadband service is helping Evergreen to ensure optimal vessel performance and improve crew welfare.

Evergreen successfully integrated FleetBroadband with the AmosConnect software to manage all e-mail, fax, SMS and inter-office communications. FleetBroadband powers numerous other onboard applications, including remote management, which allows headquarters personnel to manage the ship’s computers without visiting the vessel. It also includes database synchronisation and access to the onboard voyage data recorder.

In the future, Evergreen has the option to use FleetBroadband for engine-performance analysis and emissions monitoring, to help reduce fuel costs and comply with emissions regulations. Evergreen also is testing Blue Ocean Wireless (BOW) GSM service. BOW GSM, which can be deployed via FleetBroadband terminals, is a dedicated GSM service for crewmembers and officers of merchant ships.

Managing broadband costs

While the high performance and reliability of the latest communications networks is very attractive to operators, they are equally as impressed with the new value-added services that ensure efficient use of available bandwidth. To monitor costs and minimise unnecessary usage, the most innovative service providers offer applications that provide cost and traffic control, firewall management, data optimisation, high security options, easy VPN access, messaging services and a full range of IP options.

One example of these strategic services is the online Stratos Dashboard, which provides real-time information on the amount of FleetBroadband traffic used for voice and data, and the associated costs. This fully automated tool offers high-usage alerts to ensure budgets are not exceeded, and it helps customers to manage the consumption per vessel or groups of vessels.

Meeting future demand

As the global maritime industry’s use of satellite services continues to grow, so do the challenges faced by leading service providers. Improvements in the efficiency and quality of satellite communications services have kept broadband costs stable over the past few years.

However, satellite operators and service providers must continue to introduce innovative solutions that meet the demanding networking requirements of individual shipping companies. Today, these include flat-fee options for L-band services, as well as new hybrid offerings that combine the best attributes of both VSAT and L-band services.

In the coming years, we will see the arrival of satellite services that set new standards for performance and affordability. For example, Inmarsat recently announced that its Global Xpress VSAT service will be commercially available in 2014. The Ka-band service will be faster and less expensive than current Ku-band market offerings. It will provide 50 Mbps broadband service to a ship or aircraft, and 10 Mbps to a 20cm antenna. It is expected to be the first truly global VSAT service.

These creative service offerings will continue to prove that new communications networks are ideally suited to help ensure efficient business management.