Cruise & Ferry Review - Autumn/Winter 2021

8 6 of having to buy them upfront and that means they can start to use and get the benefit of these digitalisation solutions without huge upfront costs.” Once cutting-edge technology is installed on vessels, it is crucial for operators to ensure that the resulting customer experience meets the increasingly complex demands of passengers. A report conducted by Inmarsat in partnership with JG Maritime Solutions shows that passenger expectations are continuing to evolve and to become more demanding, especially on international routes. “On a local ferry, you probably get your mobile phone coverage, but on international routes, passengers are increasingly expecting the same wi-fi experience onboard as in a café onshore,” says Shortall. “We continue to work hard to overcome the outdated perception that satellite connectivity is expensive. Today, it’s a high data throughput technology which is lighter, more compact and more cost efficient than ever before, offering more efficient use of the satellite spectrum. The fact that more than 11,000 vessels worldwide have installed Inmarsat’s modern Fleet Xpress satellite system is a powerful indicator of how affordable satellite connectivity has become.” New pricing models are contributing to improvements in efficiency and service. “Operators are looking increasingly at paid-for wi-fi services because they see that charging for connectivity can help to balance demand. Not everyone will pay for it, therefore those that do use it will likely get a much better service. It also generates revenue for the operator to invest in better and higher-quality wi-fi services for passengers.” Shortall adds: “We’re also looking at more flexible commercial models, so that it’s not a heavy upfront burden on the operator and they can begin to get the benefits to their operations and passengers and it pays for itself as it goes.” Cybersecurity concerns are increasingly cited as reasons why maritime IT departments are wary of giving access to the systems on the vessel. “With Inmarsat, they can be assured that cybersecurity is embedded throughout all of our technology and services; from design to in-life and even end-of-life. Our security specialists and 24/7 cybersecurity operations centre work actively with the intelligence community and Inmarsat partners and customers, continually ensuring we keep the whole network and the data traffic itself completely secure to the highest standards,” says Shortall. CFR INTERV IEW Fleet Xpress is Inmarsat ’s flagship high- speed satellite service and digitalisation platform. Already in use on 11,000 vessels, it provides primary and backup connectivity for vessel operations, passengers and crew, combined with data capture, data flow and data analysis for digitalisation, helping to improve cost management on vessels. Fleet Data is the data capturing module of Fleet Xpress and, since a year ago, it has been installed by default, free with every Fleet Xpress system. If a customer is not ready to begin digitalisation immediately, they can activate the technology later. Fleet Secure Endpoint continuously protects all online endpoints on a vessel’s network with web content filtering blocking malicious traffic whether it ’s incoming or outgoing. This includes automatically monitoring, identifying and blocking any trace of infection from a computer, crew laptop, USB or onboard sensor. Fleet Hotspot is a managed wi-fi portal that allows crew and passengers to access the internet, using their own devices via self-service voucher purchase. Fleet Hotspot is completely independent from the vessel’s bandwidth, and does not require any additional hardware, smartbox or company administration. In the toolbox How Inmarsat’s key products enable digitalisation for ferry operators “ Always-on connectivity is increasingly essential for OEMs and systems integrators to deliver their best services” Inmarsat's Fleet Data solution tracks a wide range of activities on vessels