Cruise & Ferry Review - Autumn/Winter 2020

2020 continues to be an extraordinary year for shipping, with the cruise and ferry segments especially affected by Covid-19. As travel restrictions are gradually relaxed on some main ferry routes, and schedules return to something like normality, coaxing passengers back onboard is demanding a many-sided response from owners that goes beyond flexible booking and cancellation policies. The intensified cleaning, face coverings, social distancing, and track and trace techniques used ashore also bring new responsibilities for ferry crews, for example, aboard ships whose business case in part depends on optimised passenger flows. Some of these measures may become permanent protocols for ferry passengers, but other societal responses to coronavirus may also bring lasting legacies. Changing attitudes brought by remote working, for example, have meant that many interactions previously saved for face-to-face meetings are taking place online without issue. For shipping, the Covid-19 crisis has highlighted the critical role connectivity plays not only in working practices but also in the welfare of those at sea. With Covid-19 crew travel restrictions leaving hundreds of thousands of seafarers ‘stranded’ at sea on extended contracts, connectivity to loved ones, colleagues and the world outside is necessary for wellbeing. For ferry owners and operators, going forward, the change in attitude is likely to be reflected in little or even no tolerance for anything other than continuous connectivity, while demand for visual as well as audio connectivity is likely to increase sharply. As many readers of this Cruise & Ferry Revie w Special Report will know well, after more than 40 years serving the maritime market, over 160,000 vessels rely on Inmarsat satellite connectivity for some or all of their communications. Over that time, Inmarsat and its partners have continued to be at the cutting edge of ship-to-shore connectivity and, via Fleet Xpress maritime broadband, is shipping’s number one maritime VSAT service provider. Through investment in the Global Xpress satellite network, Inmarsat has taken the lead with its partners in enabling maritime digitalisation. Its Fleet Data IoT platform, its Certified Application Provider programme, Crew Xpress connectivity and Fleet Secure cyber protection provide an unmatched portfolio of solutions to enhance ship safety, environmental performance and efficiency, crew welfare and passenger services. With its ability to separate passenger internet access from business channels, for example, the ‘Fleet Hotspot’ portal user can also use his/her own device to experience ferry connectivity reality that matches expectations. But the shift in attitudes on connectivity will be felt in ferry business channels too. Before Covid-19, 51 per cent of a survey group of 125 shipowners told Inmarsat that difficulties in getting data off ships in real time represented the biggest obstacle to IoT adoption. Inmarsat’s research also suggested that, on average, ferry owners already intended to spend $2.2 million on internet of things solutions over the next three years. Inmarsat, too, is investing heavily in shipping’s digital future, expanding its current Global Xpress (GX) satellite network from four to 12 by the end of 2023, including two satellites providing Arctic coverage, with GX5 in service before the end of 2020 to offer enhanced ferry route coverage in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. We would therefore like to thank Cruise & Ferry Review for this opportunity to explain the work Inmarsat is doing to support this special and significant market. A turning point INTRODUCTION CONTENTS Introduction A welcome to this special report from Ronald Spithout, the president of Inmarsat Maritime Market Overview News of the latest solutions from Inmarsat Maritime Connectivity Inmarsat’s SVP for yachting and passenger Peter Broadhurst explains why flexibility is crucial for connectivity Data Marco Christoforo Camporeale, head of maritime digital at Inmarsat, says data is key to understanding the health of vessels Medical Services Peter Hult, CEO of healthcare provider Vikand, believes consumer confidence will be boosted by telemedicine supported by reliable satellite broadband Fleet Safety A focus on safety is integral to Inmarsat’s company culture Digitalisation in passenger shipping was compiled by Michele Witthaus and designed by Libby Sidebotham for Cruise & Ferry Review Ronald Spithout President Inmarsat Maritime