Data usage on commercial maritime vessels has jumped more than threefold since 2019, according to new communications analysis by Inmarsat, that underlines the shipping industry’s reliance on digital connectivity to enhance operating efficiency and crew welfare.
The internal study reveals that maritime demand has continued to rise as commercial shipping recovers following the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic – with data usage among Inmarsat maritime customers rising almost 70% in the 12 months to mid-2022.
Analysis of data usage by vessel operators shows year-on-year demand for data was highest among container shipping companies, more than doubling (108%) in June 2022 compared to June 2021, while use of connectivity increased by 70% among oil tanker operators and by 47% on bulk carriers over the same period.
Ben Palmer, President of Inmarsat Maritime, said:
Maritime data usage is a leading indicator of economic activity and international trade in the shipping industry, which carries 90% of all global trade. More and more shipping companies are upgrading their satellite communications services and adopting new technologies for applications including route-planning, ship-to-shore broadband data transfers and to maximise fuel efficiency
Earlier this year, Inmarsat completed technical proof of concept tests for the terrestrial 5G mesh component of its new ORCHESTRA network. The tests took place in Singapore. ORCHESTRA provides spectrum-management and connectivity technology to deliver additional data capacity at key shipping hot spots via a unique, shore-based terrestrial networks.
The 5G mesh network has the potential to integrate seamlessly with Inmarsat’s geostationary satellite constellations and a highly targeted low earth orbit (LEO) fleet to deliver the lowest average latency and fastest average speeds with unique resilience of any planned global service.
As data demand continues to grow in the shipping industry, our ORCHESTRA testing in Singapore has shown in real-world cases how to enhance ship-to-shore and ship-to-ship connectivity, including distances, range, throughput and link availability
continued Ben Palmer.
Recently, ABS provided best practices for creating and using metadata for managing digital information to support the growing development and adoption of smart, autonomous and remote-control functions in the marine and offshore industries.
Metadata defines and describes other data and what it relates to, providing context to enable data to be processed and translated into usable information.
