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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.
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