Hyundai Glovis has begun the roll-out of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite connectivity service across 45 of its company-owned vessels, including car carriers and bulk carriers.
The shipping company will begin the roll-out with installations aboard vessels calling at South Korean ports.
The company says that it plans to use the new data infrastructure to strengthen its maritime safety response systems and improve communication between ship and shore during emergencies such as equipment breakdowns, crew illness, or severe weather.
Additionally, the greater bandwidth onboard the ships is expected to improve crew working conditions by providing better internet access for personal use.
The implementation of Starlink is part of a broader strategy at the company to adopt next-generation technologies, including autonomous ship operations and AI-based predictive maintenance.
“The introduction of low earth orbit satellite communication is the foundation for simultaneously enhancing the safety and efficiency of ship operations,” a Hyundai Glovis official said in a statement (translated from Korean).
“We will continue to actively leverage new technologies to realise safe and efficient ship operations and take the lead in building a sustainable maritime ecosystem.”
