LEO satellite operator OneWeb has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with shipping communications provider Navarino, extending enterprise-grade connectivity to commercial ship operators for high-speed, low latency connectivity
After signing the MoU, Navarino will become a distribution partner of OneWeb and test out low Earth orbit (LEO) communications in the maritime sector, combining LEO communications with Navarino’s onboard technology ready for roll-out in 2023.
A series of sea trials will be undertaken this year, with Navarino focusing on the first vessels connected from Q1 2023.
“Our mission at OneWeb is to help bridge existing digital divides,” said OneWeb head of maritime Carole Plessy. “This means enabling companies to connect with confidence and greater purpose; to protect the marine environment, to improve crew welfare and to increase operational efficiency and performance.”
Ms Plessy expects OneWeb to offer data speeds 10-times faster than existing geostationary satellites can deliver to sectors of the maritime and offshore industries with lower latency.
“Through our constellation of satellites, as well as through our various partnerships, we will be able to provide global coverage, including throughout the Arctic,” she said.
“The potential for using enhanced connectivity, particularly on sensitive routes where real-time video and cloud syncing can be used as standard, even on deepsea vessels, is game-changing.”
Navarino is the latest distribution partner OneWeb has announced. It joins Marlink, Speedcast, Applied Satellite Technologies and Eutelsat as a future distributor. Ms Plessy expects Navarino to provide a selection of tailored, customisable broadband channels to shipowners, operators and managers.
Navarino chief executive Dimitris Tsikopoulos said OneWeb connectivity would be available to its customers’ fleets worldwide. “OneWeb’s new satellite constellation and its ambitions for maritime connectivity are a progressive step forward.”
OneWeb is delivering connectivity to customers in remote regions of 50º north, such as communities in Alaska, mining sites in Canada and offshore platforms in the North Sea. OneWeb expects to offer commercial connectivity services globally for offshore and maritime sectors from 2023.
