5G in maritime environments: VTT and partners push the boundaries of connectivity at sea

Nov. 27, 2024

In an EU-funded project, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and partners have successfully demonstrated an innovative solution to improve the coverage and capacity of high-speed, low-latency 5G services beyond coastal areas. This is a groundbreaking step toward comprehensive maritime connectivity, enhancing communication, safety and passenger experience at sea.

5G technology has transformed communication on land, providing high-speed data transfer and minimal latency. However, delivering these benefits at sea has remained challenging, and connectivity has traditionally been limited to urban coastal regions. To address this challenge, VTT, in collaboration with partners in the 5G-ROUTES project, successfully trialed a so-called multi-hop 5G solution near Turku, Finland, extending 5G coverage up to 10 kilometers offshore.

"This was a groundbreaking multi-hop test of 5G networks in a maritime environment. The project aims to solve the coverage and capacity challenges for data transmission at sea, to allow the creation of new solutions for the passengers and the whole maritime industry," says Anne Lönnqvist, Research Manager from VTT.

VTT led this demonstration with Vediafi, Cumucore and Airbus, with support from Ericsson, Nokia, Digita, DNA, Telia and Goodmill Systems.

"These maritime tests were an excellent opportunity to develop new 5G applications and services for the sea cluster. It was great to see that the technology is ready-the next step is to find a commercial implementation model. The recognition and reporting of satellite positioning disturbances and interference were successfully piloted using the 5G test network. The new multi-hop solution also offered a 5G coverage extension for logistics use," states Lasse Nykänen, Project Director at Vediafi.

Multi-hop setup proved as a critical breakthrough for vessel connectivity

Reliable, high-capacity 5G can greatly enhance vessel operations, increase automation and enrich the onboard passenger experience. The 5G-ROUTES team has combined multiple communication technologies-public 5G networks, ship-to-ship private 5G and satellite communications-into a cohesive system that seamlessly connects vessels even as they move farther from the coastline.

The demonstrated system enables mid-frequency, high-bandwidth 5G connectivity through a multi-hop setup between vessels. The setup utilizes public 5G NSA networks for coastal connectivity, private 5G SA networks for vessel-based communication and satellite connections as a backup for high availability.

"The higher bandwidth allows for more versatile types of data services. However, the solution is still in a proof-of-concept phase. The main constraints lie in national regulation, the density and pattern of vessel traffic and access to the public 5G network in areas where the capacity may be limited," says Kati Kõrbe, 5G-ROUTES project manager from Ericsson Estonia.

New commercial opportunities for the marine industry

The system was rigorously tested on two vessels in the Turku-Stockholm maritime corridor, with one vessel closer to the coast acting as a hub, providing connectivity to the second vessel located further offshore. This configuration enabled continuous data transfer and reliable internet access for various applications, from real-time video transmission between vessels to VR collaboration tools and multiplayer gaming. 

"This solution represents a significant advancement in maritime connectivity by ensuring redundancy in communication even when satellite coverage is unavailable," says Mika Skarp, Senior Business Development Manager at Cumucore.

"The multi-hop 5G approach lifts the reliability and bandwidth of maritime networks to a whole new level worldwide. The vessels near the shore gain enhanced data capacity and resilience, ensuring robust connectivity. Cumucore's scalable and flexible 5G solution offers maritime clients a cost-effective way to improve operational efficiency and enhance passenger experience. This will unlock new commercial opportunities at sea," Skarp says.

The 5G-ROUTES project, funded by the EU's Horizon 2020 program, aims to demonstrate innovative 5G applications for cross-border mobility in road and maritime sectors. The results open exciting possibilities for the European marine industry, particularly in cross-border corridors such as Latvia-Estonia-Finland. Beyond practical communication improvements, the findings offer invaluable insights into multi-hop 5G connectivity dynamics and public-private network interactions in a maritime setting.