Cruise & Ferry Review - Autumn/Winter 2020

CONNECTI V IT Y Connecting the fleet Peter Broadhurst explains why the ability to increase or adapt capacity is a powerful tool in a connectivity market where customers have become accustomed to inflexibility C onnectivity is a constant challenge for ferry operators as they address the need to balance demand from operations with the passenger side of their business. Shipowners are accustomed to having to buy costly packages to have large bandwidth available at peak times, while seeing their investment wasted during low-use periods. As a company that owns satellites and is thus able to offer service flexibility that is out of reach for many of its competitors, Inmarsat is well placed to lead much- needed changes in this environment. Customers in the ferry sector can quickly realise return on investment benefits from products like Fleet Xpress and Fleet Hotspot, both of which allow the shipowner to stay in control of how bandwidth is utilised onboard. “Traditionally, ferry connectivity has been seen as a hospitality service, not owned by the vessel,” says Peter Broadhurst, senior vice president of yachting and passenger for Inmarsat. “When it comes to passenger connectivity, it is about setting the expectation and meeting it – but often, wi-fi on ferries is not managed.” Broadhurst says portals can be used to meet the needs of all users, with charges for extra bandwidth. “With us, you only buy the service you need and can add on extras. So the base price point is the right price point.” Inmarsat controls everything from the satellite onwards – so as a single service provider can offer much greater flexibility to operators than they are accustomed to and can also foresee their future needs. The company holds impressive ‘space tonnage’: four Global Xpress (GX) satellites in operation, plus GX5 in service before year-end, two GX6 units scheduled and GX7, GX8, GX9 and two GX10s on the way. Each has a lifespan of between 15 and 20 years. “We have got the big picture as to what we need for the future and it’s a key selling point,” says Broadhurst Inmarsat’s wealth of resources in the sky means it can encourage ferry operators to run different sides of their business through separate pipes, thus boosting available bandwidth and safeguarding essential services. “We can add second or third pipes to services and guarantee services,” Broadhurst says. Generous bandwidth availability allows operators to capture massive amounts of data covering what is happening onboard and send it ashore – from how many burgers passengers consume to how much paint has been purchased for refurbishment. “This enables operators to see their ROI,” says Broadhurst. “It’s about small efficiencies, which are especially important for a ferry operator. “We control the satellite network, ground infrastructure and architecture of the service we offer. It allows us to tailor services to a client’s needs. This includes the amount of data or whether they want timed solutions that they will only use a couple of hours a day. “We also offer geo-scoping, where the service only works in a certain area. With Fleet Xpress, as part of the service you get highly resilient L-band included. So, for example, if a catastrophic wave wipes out your antennas, you have a backup service for the ship’s operational “We have got the big picture as to what we need for the future” 1 1 2