Inmarsat announced that is working with the Blue Maritime Cluster to formulate how digital disruption will transform the traditional shipping industry and open up new opportunities for ship owners, marine technology companies and others in the influential network for innovation.
Over twenty partners of Blue Maritime Cluster, which is recognised by government as a global centre of expertise, joined senior Inmarsat management for a digital disruption workshop in Ålesund, on 21 March, to explore Inmarsat’s future bandwidth programmes, encouraging third party innovators and disrupters to develop applications that can exploit the capability of high-speed broadband services available via Fleet Xpress.
“The global, high speed, always-on connectivity offered by Fleet Xpress has proved a game-changer in the 12 months since launch, with thousands of ships committed to its unrivalled Ka-band plus L-band for back-up combination,” said Gert-Jan Panken, VP Application Sales, Inmarsat Maritime. “Reaping the true data and performance rewards of the network requires both an advanced platform, industry focus, innovation and cooperation.”
A 2016 Futurenautics paper suggests 50% of ship owners already undertake analytics based on sensors installed on ships. Mr Panken said Fleet Xpress would enable the maritime industry to join the connected world and leverage the more than 25 billion apps, embedded software packages or intelligent systems, which International Data Corporation (IDC) is projecting to be present by 2020.
“In Fleet Xpress, we have delivered a platform to create a new ecosystem for maritime solution providers and application developers to build new relationships that can disrupt the maritime industry.”
“The Blue Maritime Cluster seeks to consolidate its role as a global hub for safe, sustainable, advanced and smart technology,” said Frank Støyva Emblem, Communications Manager, Blue Maritime Cluster. “The best way to embrace new generation connectivity is by working as a collective maritime force.”
“Partnership with forward-looking networks like the Blue Maritime Cluster will help make the maritime data revolution a reality. Now is a critical moment for ship/shore connectivity, calling for thought leadership and disruption inside the industry, as well as disruption from outside”, concluded Gert-Jan Panken”.
Source & Image credit: Inmarsat
