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Maritime Satcom Connectivity on the Uptick in Nordic Region

June 07, 2022

The small island of Donsö is renowned as a historic fishing village, where even today boathouses at the harbour honour its rich maritime heritage with name plaques of fishing vessels. It forms the perfect backdrop for Sweden’s biggest all-inclusive trade fair – Donsö Shipping Meet, taking place on June 14th and 15th this year. In the lead up to this event, IEC Telecom Norway, one of the leading satcom service operators in the region, shares insights on the latest trends in marine comms.

“Sea transport is important for a myriad of economic activities in the Nordic region – with 90% of Sweden’s international trade traffic conducted over water,” shares Alf Stian Mauritz, CAO and President – North & Central Europe, IEC Telecom Group. “Due to their locations, heavy process industries in Sweden and Finland are highly dependent on sea transport. Besides, Norway owns the ninth biggest merchant fleet in the world while Denmark operates the fifth largest container fleet in terms of gross tonnage. In parallel today, Donsö has been home to increased activity in the tanker shipping sector, especially for bulk goods and chemicals, and is expanding its harbour for bigger ships,” he adds.

This merchant sector represents the largest market for connectivity needs and has generated about $300 million in maritime satcom service revenues in 2021. With an 18% global share of vessels, the Scandinavian countries and the European Union are heavily invested in maritime satcom installations and emphasise crew welfare. According to Euroconsult, the number of VSATs in the fishing segment alone is expected to increase 400% by 2024 and the bandwidth consumption per vessel is expected to double.

New crew welfare and safety regulations as well as high-performance broadband services even in the harshest weather conditions are prompting vessel owners to readily adopt onboard connectivity. “Tracking and monitoring services in particular are expected to witness a significant growth rate in the near future,” says Mr. Mauritz. With its portfolio of IoT solutions, IEC Telecom offers real-time visibility over maritime operations.

This year, IEC Telecom will present the state-of-the-art LT-4100 satellite communications system at Donsö Shipping Meet for the first time. Suitable for racing, shipping, leisure vessels, and workboats, LT-4100 has been particularly designed for the rough environment at sea. Thanks to a pioneering heating element, it can operate between a broad temperature range, perfect for the Nordic region and its heavy sea traffic. LT-4100 is the first Iridium Certus 100 terminal, delivering voice and data connectivity with 100% global coverage.

IEC Telecom has been part of the Nordic satellite communications market for over a decade, with a regional flagship office in Oslo, Norway.