Indian shipowner to equip 156-ship fleet with broadband

The contract with Stratos, arranged through its partner Station Satcom of Mumbai, is part of an integrated maritime communications solution that will help the operator increase productivity and control costs. In addition to deployment of FleetBroadband on the entire fleet of 156 ships owned and managed by SCI, the Stratos solution includes: upgrades to AmosConnect 8, Stratos’ new maritime communications software; upgrades to crew communications via Stratos’ new AmosConnect CommCenter application; and deployment of the Blue Ocean Wireless (BOW) GSM service.

Based in Mumbai, SCI is India’s largest shipping company, with a fleet that includes tankers, bulk carriers, liners and supply vessels.

BOW GSM is a dedicated GSM service for crewmembers and officers of merchant ships, which enables seafarers to use their existing mobile phones onboard merchant ships in deep ocean waters, exactly as they would in port or on land, via Inmarsat satellites. AmosConnect 8 integrates email, fax, telex, GSM text, interoffice communication, and access for mobile personnel into a single messaging system. AmosConnect Crew CommCenter improves crew welfare by enabling personnel at sea to stay in contact with home via calling, private email and SMS at affordable, flat global rates. These applications and others comprise the ‘Stratos Advantage’, a range of value-added services that provides ship managers with optimal communications performance and cost efficiency.

“In our ongoing mission to ensure optimal business efficiency, crew productivity and cost control, we understand the critical importance of broadband connectivity,” said Kailash Gupta, SCI’s director, personnel and administration. By offering an integrated approach that combines the reliability of FleetBroadband with advanced applications and other value-added services, Stratos has proven it is ideally suited to meet our needs.”

Gupta added, “The use of AmosConnect 8 to improve our interoffice communications is especially advantageous, as it meets the requirements of the new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Planned Maintenance Systems we are implementing throughout our company. Also, we expect AmosConnect Crew CommCenter to positively impact the quality of private, controlled communications that we offer to our seafarers and officers.”

Station Satcom CEO Anshul Khanna said, “As service provider to SCI for the past six years, it has been very gratifying to see SCI’s applications evolve from SAT-C, text-based communication to a fully integrated ERP system that provides constant mirroring of information between vessels and corporate offices onshore. It has been a privilege to help SCI achieve these advances by deploying the very latest, high-performance satcom systems.”

Stratos President and CEO Jim Parm said, “The decision to undertake a comprehensive communications upgrade is a daunting task for any operator. We will continue to honor the confidence that SCI has shown in our abilities by implementing the industry’s most effective solutions – and by consistently providing the highest levels of customer support.”