Danish shipping and logistics group Maersk is set to roll out Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet technology across its fleet.
The world’s second-largest liner will see the service, developed by Musk’s SpaceX, deployed on more than 330 ships by the end of the first quarter of 2024.
The service, which enables high-speed internet with speeds over 200 Mbps, is a leap forward in terms of internet speed and latency, which will bring significant benefits in terms of both crew welfare and business impact, Maersk said.
The agreement follows a pilot phase where crew members on more than 30 Maersk ships have had the opportunity to test the technology.
“We are excited to announce our journey with Starlink to provide state of the art connectivity to our seagoing colleagues. The high-speed connectivity will enable our seagoing colleagues to stay connected with their loved ones while at sea. It will also propel the expansion of seamless cloud solutions, enabling our vision to digitalise our vessel operations,” said Leonardo Sonzio, head of fleet management and technology at Maersk.
Starlink has been changing the game to provide internet via its satellite network and many of the world’s largest shipping lines, including Japan’s MOL and Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd, and managers Anglo-Eastern have been trialling and raving about the technology this year.
Commenting on the Maersk deal, Jonathan Hofeller, SpaceX’s vice president of Starlink commercial sales, said Maersk’s vessels are key to global trade, and Starlink’s high-speed broadband “through the world’s most advance satellite internet constellation will help boost efficiency through seamless connectivity no matter where in the world they are”.
