A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) has announced that more than 330 of its vessels will have Starlink installed, the satellite internet constellation developed by SpaceX.
This is expected to enable high-speed internet with speeds over 200 megabits per second (Mbps).
The service 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, according to Maersk.
The agreement comes after a successful pilot phase where crew members on more than 30 Maersk vessels have had the opportunity to test the Starlink technology, resulting in very positive feedback.
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“We are excited to announce our journey with Starlink to provide state of the art connectivity to our sea going colleagues,” said Leonardo Sonzio, Head of Fleet Management and Technology at Maersk.
“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,” Sonzio added.
High-speed internet aims to simplify seamless streaming and high definition video calls for crew member, reported Maersk, while low-latency internet is expected to facilitate cost-saving measures by moving business critical applications into the cloud and by strengthening remote support and inspections of the vessels.
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“Maersk’s vessels are key to global trade, and Starlink’s high-speed broadband through the world’s most advanced satellite internet constellation will help boost efficiency through seamless connectivity no matter where in the world they are,” commented Jonathan Hofeller, SpaceX’s Vice President of Starlink Commercial Sales.
Maersk’s recent announcement comes on the heels of Hapag-Lloyd’s decision to adopt SpaceX’s Starlink satellite broadband service across its entire fleet. Since May, crew members on four pilot vessels of the German carrier have been actively testing the system.
