While the voting procedure for the 2019 SMART4SEA Awards is open, Mr. Tore Morten Olsen, President Maritime of Marlink, highlights that connectivity is crucial for safe operations and talks about his company’s solutions for which Marlink has been shortlisted in the ‘Connectivity’ category alongside other distinguished nominees. Mr. Olsen notes that demand for bandwidth is on rise which is important because available connectivity improves life onboard, keeping the crew happy and in touch with family and friends ashore. What is more, Mr. Olsen says, industry needs innovations to improve crew wellbeing and safety, considering that strong cyber-security strategy is required to ensure that all applications and communications are completely secured.
SAFETY4SEA: Your organization has been shortlisted for the 2018 SMART4SEA Awards in the ‘Connectivity’ category alongside a number of other distinguished nominees. What would you like to share with industry’s stakeholders with respect to this development?
Tore Morten Olsen: Marlink services are based on our global ‘network of networks’ which integrates capacity from the industry leading Satellite Network Operators, with overlapping beams in congested areas, to ensure that bandwidth is always available wherever our customers’ vessels are in the world. Our technology agnostic, multi-frequency strategy allows us to deliver the broadest scope of integrated services, covering C, Ka and Ku-band VSAT on new generation spot beam High Throughput Satellites and standard wide beam satellites, as well as L-band services like the new Iridium Certus, or Inmarsat FleetBroadband and Mini-C. LTE, 3G/4G, Wi-Fi and even fibre can be integrated also, completing our ability to deliver next generation hybrid connectivity services on a global basis.
S4S: When it comes to tackling the smart challenges around the shipping sector, what are the core priorities on your agenda?
T.M.O: Securing always available connectivity is essential for ship owners who want to ensure safety, stay competitive in a challenging market place and deliver great crew welfare facilities. Because smart shipping is about using data to develop operational efficiencies with digital applications, connectivity is a key enabler and we are seeing demand for bandwidth rising continuously. What may seem like a high-end service today will be common-place in a few years, with the most digitally focused ship owners and operators always seeking more speed, capabilities and flexibility. The fast evolution of market requirements drives us to continue upgrading our network, ensuring that we can deliver what is needed not just today, but in the future too.
S4S: How does greater connectivity change life onboard? What is your advice to industry stakeholders to improve seafarer wellness and safety?
T.M.O: Multiple new innovations are on the horizon to improve crew wellbeing and safety. As an example, Digital Twins are a new, smarter way to simulate any operation or situation related to risk. Digital Twins are based on simulators but are dynamic in nature and can take data live during actual operations to predict what could happen a few minutes in the future. Likewise, the operational data will be used ashore to improve the fidelity of the twin for pre-mission check-out, so satcom is essential. We also know that happy crew with high morale make less mistakes and do their job better. Entertainment, training, health and staying in touch with family and friends are all catered for in the Marlink portfolio of services focusing on crew safety and wellbeing.
S4S: Do you have any new projects on the pipeline and/or plans that you would like to share with the rest of the industry?
T.M.O: We continue to deliver more optimised services and expand network capacity for different maritime segments to meet diverse requirements for bandwidth and flexibility in service. We have more innovations aimed at improving the wellbeing of crew members even further as well as development of business critical solutions, which help our customers get the most from their investment in satcom. We also recently introduced Cyber Guard, which integrates our powerful cyber-security tools into a single portfolio, with the addition of a new and unique Cyber Detection service which delivers even more resilience to cyber-attack.
S4S: What is your key message to the industry for enhancing safety onboard and ashore in the smart era?
T.M.O: A strong cyber-security strategy which ensures that all applications and communications are completely secured and up to date ensures a continuous data flow between the vessel and shore, allowing instant awareness of any hazardous or critical situations in both locations.
Also, when a company digitalises more of its business and vessels it also streamlines them, which in turn gives crew and officers more time to focus on seafaring and safety. There is no substitute for an experienced professional on-watch and if they have too much paperwork to fill-out, they spend less time ensuring safe operations. Connected to this is training, and through our partnership with Seagull, we are bringing new solutions to market that fully digitalise on board training and the management of it.
You may cast your vote for Marlink at 2019 SMART4SEA Awards dedicated webpage till 21st of December 2018!
The views presented hereabove are only those of the author and not necessarily those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
