Offshore geotechnical service provider Geoquip Marine has agreed a deal with Inmarsat to offer dedicated Fleet Xpress bandwidth as part of its vessel charter arrangements, with separate connectivity for personnel onboard also included.
“By using the full capabilities of Fleet Xpress, we can offer our clients their own separate network to deploy the committed and maximum information rates capacity they require. Having the ability to use multiple segregated networks in connecting to the vessel also enhances cyber security,” said Nico Meijering, Head of Marine Operations, Geoquip Marine.
Four Geoquip integrated geotechnical survey vessels, currently operating off the US East Coast, off Taiwan, and in Europe, have introduced Fleet Xpress Charterer Network services for sole use by charterers plus connectivity via Fleet Hotspot Wi-Fi services for those working at sea. Fleet Xpress allows multiple networks to be connected to the vessel via a single antenna.
“Effectively, the client has its own private, fully secure Charterer Network to handle geo-data, and Fleet Hotspot Wi-Fi connectivity for personnel using either pre-paid or pay-as-you-go data use models,” said Eric Griffin, Vice President Offshore and Fishing, Inmarsat Maritime.
“The client controls who sees the data, the Committed and Maximum Information Rates (CIR and MIR), and the analytics management.”
“Being able to offer the Charterer Network service to drilling companies without adding hardware gives the Fleet Xpress user a competitive edge at the contract tendering stage. Lower speed networks need additional antennas to support a comparable service. Segregated network capability is a core capability for Fleet Xpress, activated on request. We expect others to follow Geoquip’s lead.”
