Germany’s Fairplay Towage Selects Broadband from Stratos for Deep-Sea Tugboats
March 11, 2011
Stratos Global, announced it is deploying satellite communications service on six deep-sea tugboats in Fairplay Towage’s fleet. Deployment on four of the vessels already has been completed.
Based in Hamburg, Fairplay Towage is one of Europe’s leading tugboat operators in the ports of Hamburg, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Rostock, Wismar, Szczecin and Swinoujscie. Its fleet includes 27 modern vessels for harbor, coastal and deep-sea towage.
The Fairplay Towage contract is the latest example of Stratos’ successful deployment of FleetBroadband on a wide range of vessel types across all major geographic regions. Stratos has activated more than 6,700 FleetBroadband terminals and was recognized as the Inmarsat Distribution Partner making the greatest contribution to FleetBroadband global sales growth in 2010.
By ensuring reliable broadband connectivity at sea, Stratos will help Fairplay Towage achieve optimal vessel performance, improved business operations and increased crew productivity.
Fairplay Towage also improves crew welfare by deploying Stratos’ AmosConnect Crew CommCenter. The solution enables personnel at sea to stay in contact with home via calling, private email and SMS at affordable, flat global rates. The solution’s high functionality helps retain qualified seafarers. The application features an easily manageable, separate account for each crewmember. Fairplay Towage expects to deploy the Internet café functionality of the latest version of AmosConnect Crew CommCenter later this year.
“FleetBroadband enables us to achieve faster data transmission and better voice quality than the legacy systems we previously used – at a lower cost. The system helps us improve business management by increasing the performance of many of the IP-based applications we already deploy,” said Fairplay Towage’s Information Technology Manager Thomas Wesselski. “Also, the wide range of Stratos value-added services – including onboard firewall and online invoicing – help ensure high security and strict cost control.”
Stratos President and CEO Jim Parm said, “As with other shipping companies, progressive towage operators are continually seeking the most advanced communications systems to maximize applications, reduce costs and improve crew welfare. With this FleetBroadband deployment, we look forward to helping Fairplay Towage use our expanding range of new applications to maintain high operating efficiency and a competitive advantage.”
