Posted on May 6, 2020
Following successful trials on its Aframax tanker California in Alaska, and on the recently reflagged containership Rio Grande Express, which it manages, Crowley Maritime Corporation has agreed a contract to install Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress high-speed broadband service on a majority of its owned or managed fleet of 200 vessels.
The trials helped showcase the combination of high-speed Fleet Xpress on Ka-band with continuous back up from FleetBroadband on L-band, significantly enhancing stability of communications and available uptime.
“Communication needs for an operator with a variety of vessel types like Crowley are rapidly increasing and we require a level of performance and reliability that is proven and trusted, with a dedicated support network that is continuously available,” says Capt. Rodney Jones, director of operations at Crowley Global Ship Management Inc. “Fleet Xpress meets this demand and proved very successful in the trials that were carried out on the California in Alaska and the Rio Grande Express operating in a liner service.”
All vessels covered in the agreement will install either a Fleet Xpress GX60 or GX100 terminal from Intellian and an Infinity smartbox solution that will allow the vessels to access a number of value-added services, including bandwidth control and remote user management.
“This new contract with Crowley, one of the leading operators of a diverse fleet, confirms that vessels anywhere in the world and of all sizes and types can secure the operating efficiency, digitalisation and crew welfare gains available from Fleet Xpress with our global high-speed performance, reliable coverage and 24/7 support,” says Gert-Jan Panken, vice president of merchant, Inmarsat Maritime.
Source: marinelog
