Inmarsat has signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), establishing a relationship to leverage the ‘smart ship’ connectivity offered by Fleet Xpress at the vessel construction stage.
The strategic agreement envisages the South Korean yard installing Inmarsat-approved terminal hardware and offering applications to cover remote machinery diagnostics and CCTV services, to leverage the satellite communications platform’s capabilities from the moment the ship is delivered.
The new service, which has been christened ‘Smart Ship’ by SHI, will allow owners to enhance efficiency by harvesting data from hull-monitors and equipment sensors onboard in real-time, utilising Inmarsat’s dedicated bandwidth for Certified Application Providers (CAPs).
“This agreement with SHI represents a new chapter in the story of smart shipping and the connected vessel,” said Ronald Spithout, Inmarsat Maritime president. “The Fleet Xpress service allows SHI to build-in new levels of vessel efficiency. This agreement demonstrates that the most forward-looking shipbuilders recognise collaboration as the key to shipping’s exploitation of the Internet of Things. It is also further evidence that Inmarsat and its partners are driving shipping towards value-added applications that are set to digitalise the industry and modes of operation,” Spithout added.
