As the “Internet of Things” and big data analytics continue to transform different industries, Ericsson and Inmarsat are applying the technology to streamline the maritime supply chain by creating smart, connected ships.
The agreement between the two companies will begin with a contract allowing Ericsson to distribute Inmarsat’s XpressLink, which provides maritime networks by combining the L-band and Ku-band. Building on that, the plan is to deploy the Ericsson Maritime ICT Cloud, which a connected ship can employ to communicate with shore-based operations including maintenance, customer support, transportation partners, and port operators and other authorities.
The goal is to use the new end-to-end connectivity to increase efficiency and reduce operational expense. Consider the savings associated with reducing the time ships spend idling in port and the time it takes for freight to be transported to the bare minimum.
John Taxgaard, Ericsson’s head of maritime, said the connected ship, a subset of the IoT, “has the potential to generate tremendous value for the maritime industry.”
“Partnering with the leading provider of global mobile satellite communications services is the best means of helping the maritime industry to realize this value,” Taxgaard said. “Together with Inmarsat we will jointly develop fully integrated services, solutions and applications, and work toward establishing maritime industry standards for satellite connectivity and application integration.”
Inmarsat Maritime President Ronald Spithout said, “We are re-defining maritime connectivity. This transformational agreement will open up opportunities for vessel operators and managers to capture intelligent data immediately.
“Everyone is talking about ‘big data,’ ” he said, “but eventually it is the deployment of applications onboard and the end-to-end management of integrated intelligence that will ultimately change the way the maritime industry operates; making it more efficient, greener and unlocking greater value. We are happy that the reliability of the Inmarsat constellation of satellites and operational standards are recognized as the best fit in the Ericsson roadmap of integrated services.”
