Tag: internet onboard

Using internet today is like breathing air. While you cannot see it around, it is of outmost importance for the proper function of everyday activities. Of course the seafaring profession does not remain unaffected, as the increasing digitalization onboard, provide many benefits, as well as drawbacks.

There is no doubt that internet has made our lives easier. The advancements in technology have changed the way we communicate, and the way we do business. How we run our social and personal lives at the moment has nothing to do with what was happening a few years ago. However, because of that, Internet can also threaten us with spam, identity theft, invasion of privacy and cyber espionage.

Connectivity onboard and accessing the Internet is a fundamental right that nobody should be deprived of. With seafarers spending most of their lives crossing the oceans, being away from their families and their loved ones, can have a negative impact on their overall wellbeing. However, with these issues in mind it is important to identify and analyze the potential dangers that the use of internet can have, especially on ships.

Similarly to the whole world, shipping operates today in a fully digitalized environment. However, this was not always the case, with maritime making advancements in this area decade by decade. However, it is interesting to explore how shipping’s digitalization journey has involved over the years.

A project that ensures seafarers and fishermen can gain high-speed internet access while visiting UK ports to contact family and friends has been extended for another year.

Inmarsat is giving free connectivity to maritime crews around the globe that use its Fleet Hotspot service.

A conference held by maritime charities for London International Shipping Week heard how the pandemic had amplified the needs of seafarers with regard to connectivity at sea.

Digital crew welfare services will be central to shipping’s ability to deliver fairer conditions for seafarers in the near future, according to a new report by Inmarsat. The report specifically recommends that there needs to be a global solution to welfare needs as the current delivery models are struggling to cope with demand now, let alone in the future. 

If COVID-19 has brought one seafaring issue to the forefront, it has been that of Internet onboard, as the extended time of remaining onboard along with increased stress due to COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a wider discussion on the need for connectivity with the outside world.  

A new video by CHIRP Maritime, under its latest safety initiative "Sea of Distractions", aims to inform of the misuse of personal devices (mob phones, mp4 players, tablets) whilst on duty in the workplace that may cause distraction with potentially serious safety implications.