Maritime and satellite communications sector collaborate

Collaborative efforts to improve maritime operations with cutting-edge communications were advanced recently during Broadband Maritime Europe 2011, where the international shipping and broadband satellite communications industries began co-ordinating on training, regulatory and other shared priorities.

The multi-sector programme was highlighted at GVF Broadband Maritime Europe 2011: Expanding Communications – Networking Solutions to the Arctic Horizon, which took place over28th & 29th June at the Strand Palace Hotel, London, with the sponsorship support of such prestigious satellite communications industry leaders as Inmarsat, Eutelsat, Telenor Satellite Broadcasting, ASTRA2Connect, and Comtech EF Data.

In this latest in a series of initiatives – organized with Event Management Partners (EMP) and in coordination with GVF’s Maritime SatCom Forum (MSF) – an ongoing collaboration has been established, through the Broadband Maritime Conference Series, with both InterManager – the International Ship Manager’s Association – and Stark Moore Macmillan – the global maritime strategic marketing agency, which also provided marketing promotions for the London conference.

During day one of the London conference programme, Capt. Kuba Szymanski, Secretary General of InterManager, delivered a key contribution covering the topic of Communications Networking for Efficient Fleet Management. Following the conference Capt. Szymanski commented, “InterManager is very pleased to see the satellite communication industry taking our industry so seriously. “There are several issues which do concern ship managers and owners, and in my opinion the best way to ensure that these issues do not develop into problems is communication between all parties concerned. We need to talk and work together, to make sure we understand each other.”

Also on the first day of the event, Roger Adamson, Chief Executive of Stark Moore Macmillan, together with Denis Sutherland, Systems Engineering Manager, of iDirect, co-presented the findings of the recent research report ‘VSAT: Present and Future – A Comprehensive Survey of Maritime VSAT’. Commissioned by iDirect, ‘VSAT: Present and Future’ is a comprehensive survey of VSAT in the maritime industry. Based on interviews with 60 shipping companies, representing approximately 5,500 vessels, the report covers VSAT deployment in the maritime market, market potential, barriers to deployment and comparative expenditures on communications solutions, amongst other issues.

At the conclusion of his presentation Mr. Adamson noted that, “The report shows that the timing is right for increasing co-ordination amongst ship owners, operators and satellite broadband suppliers. Stark Moore Macmillan looks forward to our continued partnership with GVF and to assisting them in their efforts to reach and educate the maritime industry.”

It is further envisaged that the range of collaborative initiatives will extend beyond this most recent effort to heighten awareness of the role of broadband satellite solutions to the communications imperatives of the maritime sector to include the broader MSF agenda, including the:
- Strengthening of advocacy efforts in the international regulatory arena;
- Expansion in the delivery of satellite communications training for the maritime user community; and,
- Facilitation of new maritime satellite communications projects.

On Friday 16th September, at 1:00pm, at the Waldorf Hilton Hotel, London, following the close of the COMSYS VSAT 2011 Conference, the GVF MSF will gather for its latest in-person meeting. At this event the Chairman of the MSF, Simon Bull, will open the proceedings by presenting a briefing paper which will detail the most recent actions undertaken by the MSF related to these, and other, agenda items pertaining to the group’s work in addressing issues related to the growth of satellite programmes in this increasingly important area of global broadband communications operations. Based on the plans and priorities confirmed during this meeting, the GVF MSF will continue to serve as a unified voice for engagement with the maritime sector to promote the development of satellite networks around the globe.