Fleet Xpress ushers in 'smart' ship operations

Inmarsat recently announced a successful trial of its Fleet Xpress high-speed broadband solution for maritime and offshore operators, and said it is now globally available from a single communications provider.

Fleet Xpress, which is based on Inmarsat’s new Global Xpress (GX) satellite constellation, combines the high data speeds of Ka-band with the ultra-reliable FleetBroadband L-band service for unlimited backup. As a fully integrated service, it switches automatically between Ka-band and L-band, ensuring an ‘always on’ guaranteed connection with a committed information rate.

The company said Fleet Xpress enables ship owners and operators to enhance their business intelligence, improve operational efficiency and vessel performance, and provide a host of high-value, crew welfare benefits.

“Fleet Xpress is a groundbreaking new service that will shape communications at sea beyond recognition,” said Inmarsat Maritime President Ronald Spithout.

“Through Fleet Xpress, ship owners and operators can experience unparalleled levels of performance and simplicity. It will provide the guaranteed high-speed connectivity that is essential to support the safest and most efficient vessel operations, anywhere in the world. While, in parallel, it will match the personal connectivity needs of even the most demanding modern seafarer, delivering services previously available only onshore.”

To take advantage of the new service, vessels will require a 1 m or 60 cm Global Xpress antenna and terminal, and a FleetBroadband terminal (either FleetBroadband 500 or FleetBroadband 250), that are pre-commissioned on the network to provide quick and easy plug-and-play deployment.

Inmarsat said Fleet Xpress will also empower third-party application providers to enhance their existing services to maritime customers.

Fleet Xpress hardware includes a Network Service Device (NSD) to manage bandwidth and traffic flow through Inmarsat-tested antenna and type-approved user terminals, offered by Intellian, JRC and Cobham SATCOM.