South Korean shipping companies are increasingly turning to Starlink, to address the issue of social isolation among young sailors which has led to higher turnover rates in the maritime industry.
As of 16 March, the Korea Shipowners’ Association announced plans to initiate a bidding process within the first half of this year for domestic distributors of Starlink, including SK Telink, KT SAT, and LG Uplus, according to Business Korea.
Starlink is set to officially launch its service in South Korea in the second quarter of this year. Following the Ministry of Science and ICT’s approval of the necessary cross-border supply agreement, In addition, Starlink will undergo further reviews by the Ministry of Government Legislation and the Office for Government Policy Coordination.
Moreover, with Starlink’s impending entry into the domestic market, new services are also emerging, such as KT SAT’s “XWAVE-ONE,” a solution designed to optimize Starlink’s usability for maritime customers.
According to the latest Seafarers Happiness Index Q42024, connectivity issues remain a major source of discontent amongst seafarers. Although free Wi-Fi is often promised onboard, inadequate infrastructure means that connectivity is frequently unreliable or unusable.
This paradox leaves seafarers struggling to stay connected with family and friends, further intensifying feelings of isolation and negatively affecting morale.
