Dutch dredging specialist Van Oord has agreed a new deal with Marlink for the provision of VSAT connectivity in Indian territorial waters, through an agreement with India’s licensed Inflight Maritime Connectivity (IFMC) service partner, Nelco.
Van Oord signed a fixed term contract for Marlink’s Indian VSAT service after the successful conclusion of a trial in October 2019 onboard the trailing suction hopper dredger Volvox Asia.
Satellite communications are subject to licence restrictions when operating in Indian waters, meaning that VSAT must be turned off unless a licensed service provider is used. Working with Nelco, an approved provider in India, removes this issue, allowing Marlink VSAT customers to transit Indian waters without any service interruptions.
Van Oord is the first customer to have signed to take advantage of this new capability, Marlink says.
“Van Oord has been a Marlink customer for more than 15 years and this new agreement extends our ability to stay connected and in compliance within Indian waters,” Van Oord said, in a statement.
“Marlink’s VSAT connectivity enables us to work smarter and safely while in a highly regulated area, so we can continue to monitor asset health and performance, comply with regulatory reporting and keep crew connected.”
