Farstad Shipping Signs 5-Year Satellite Communications Contract with Harris CapRock Communications for 53 Offshore Supply Vessels

13 September 2011

Harris CapRock Communications, has been chosen by Farstad Shipping to deliver turnkey Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) communications to its fleet of 53 vessels. Farstad Shipping is an international supplier of modern offshore supply vessels that operate in the North Sea, Brazil, Australia and Indian Pacific regions.

“We need a reliable Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure onboard our vessels to support our values and meet our crew and clients’ needs,” said Helge Warholm, corporate purchasing manager, Farstad Shipping. “Harris CapRock’s SeaAccess service enables us to extend our corporate applications to the vessels and provide critical maintenance, operations and administrative services. As a result, the vessels operate more efficiently and in turn it reduces our operational costs.”

Harris CapRock will deploy end-to-end VSAT communications via a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) network to enable corporate networking, Internet access, crew calling solutions and email service. The turnkey solution includes equipment and installation, service and 24/7 support from Harris CapRock’s help desk.

“It is important for Farstad Shipping to retain the highest level of qualified crew onboard its vessels,” said Pal Jensen, president of SeaAccess services, Harris CapRock Communications. “With SeaAccess, Farstad Shipping can provide crew calling cards and Internet access to its remote personnel so they can stay in touch with family and friends back home. Such amenities directly improve crew satisfaction and boost morale.”

“We’ve been very satisfied with the reliability of the SeaAccess service and Harris CapRock’s global reach for installations and maintenance,” continued Warholm. “We had five pilot vessels leveraging the SeaAccess service and it met our needs for service availability and quick installs as the pilot vessels were dispersed around the globe.”

“Harris CapRock and Farstad Shipping have many of the same clients,” said Tom Eaton, president, Harris CapRock Communications. “Our extensive relationships with energy customers, specifically in regions such as Brazil where Farstad Shipping and Harris CapRock have a strong presence, led to a natural partnership. We understand what the customers of Farstad Shipping demand and we can ensure our communication solutions meet their requirements.”