Inmarsat Global Limited - Experts & Thought Leaders

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, has signed an agreement with Sallaum Lines, a pioneering Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) cargo shipping company, to upgrade to Inmarsat Maritime’s NexusWave fully managed bonded connectivity service, making it an early adopter in region. As Sallaum Lines expands its global presence, NexusWave will provide secure, ultra-fast connectivity with unlimited data, complemented by Inmarsat’s Care Premium programme for 24/7 support and maintenance. IoT sensors and collaborative tools Reflecting a proactive digitalisation strategy, Sallaum Lines is adopting modern technologies, such as IoT sensors and collaborative tools to enhance decision-making and operational efficiency across its fleet. Inmarsat’s NexusWave will deliver the reliability, high speeds, and low latency that Sallaum increasingly relies on to facilitate data collection, analysis, and advanced monitoring across its 14-vessel RoRo fleet, including six newbuilds. NexusWave through network bonding Sallaum’s crew will have access to contact services and academic tools nearly anywhere in the world Sallaum Lines is committed to creating a healthy and happy working environment on board its vessels by ensuring crew members can stay connected with their families and friends during rest and off-duty hours. The company places high value on education and development and plans to deploy a fleetwide learning and skills development platform. Thanks to the unlimited, high-speed connectivity provided by NexusWave through network bonding, Sallaum’s crew will have access to communication services and educational tools virtually anywhere in the world – even in connectivity hotspots. Remote infrastructure and onboard portfolio Mr. Puneet Arora, Head of Technical, Sallaum Lines, commented: "NexusWave will provide us with fast and reliable connectivity without the worry of outages, latency, or interruptions." He adds, "This new partnership will also enable us to enhance our remote infrastructure and expand our onboard portfolio with solutions that meet both operational needs and crew welfare requirements. We are proud to be an early adopter of NexusWave." Inmarsat Maritime’s capabilities Dennis Winterswijk, Regional Director, EMEA, Inmarsat Maritime, said: "Deep understanding of Inmarsat Maritime’s capabilities, and trust in our reliability, were key factors in Sallaum Lines’ decision to select NexusWave." He adds, "Its decision to adopt NexusWave highlights the company’s commitment to enhancing operational efficiency and reliability, as well as its position as a forward-thinking, technology-driven company."

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, has announced Caribe Tankers USA, Inc (CTU) will trial Inmarsat’s fully managed bonded connectivity service, NexusWave, on board the chemical tankers Caribe Maria and Caribe Luna: as the US-based company seeks an ultra-reliable solution to best serve operational and crew connectivity. By combining multiple network underlays in one fully managed, bonded solution, Inmarsat’s NexusWave enables applications to leverage the aggregate capacity of all available networks rather than relying on one underlay at a time. This unique network-bonding approach allows NexusWave vessels to maintain a seamless, consistent connection to high-speed internet with global coverage, unlimited data, and managed performance levels. Caribe Tankers’ objective As a result, this new technology will allow vessels to meet new connectivity demand and crew can enjoy a home-like connectivity experience whether the ship is sailing in open waters or anchored at a busy port. This in line with Caribe Tankers’ objective as the company looks to retain and attract the best seafaring talent. Jason Holden, CTU Manager, said: "As a 24/7 commercial and operational shipping management company, we understand the importance of being able to communicate at any time to and from the vessels for business demands. More importantly, providing crew fast and reliable internet has notably improved productivity on board." Caribe Tankers’ requirements The decision to trial Inmarsat NexusWave also reflects Caribe Tankers’ needs for reliable services Jason Holden adds: "Reliable, high-speed Internet is an increasingly important ingredient in fostering a happy, loyal and healthy working environment. Evidence suggests that Inmarsat’s NexusWave will meet our requirements for crew as well as operational connectivity. We look forward to seeing the results of our collaboration." The decision to trial Inmarsat NexusWave also reflects Caribe Tankers’ requirements for reliable and consistent communication services, where the company considers certainty in the connectivity a requisite for supporting daily operational needs. Maritime industry’s unique challenges Logan Murray, Account Manager, Inmarsat Maritime, said: "Caribe Tankers’ using NexusWave is the latest endorsement of the power of bonded connectivity. Our fully managed solution delivers unparalleled speeds and reliability – with the convenience of working with a single trusted partner that understands the maritime industry’s unique challenges." Logan Murray adds, "For operators, this means certainty and connected confidence regardless of the size of their fleet and the nature of their operations."

The SEA-CARE working group concluded its third session in February by confirming commitments to share key data to secure common objectives. Highlighting a need to look beyond ‘top-level’ data to pinpoint the root causes of casualties, attendees discussed specific datasets that could enrich findings drawn from Inmarsat’s Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) distress alert data. Crew welfare surveys, for example, offered a precious resource for developing a more holistic understanding of maritime safety, members agreed. Safety standards across global shipping SEA-CARE is an industry working group launched last year by Maritime London and Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, to improve safety standards across global shipping, “If we look at safety data as a pyramid, what we report on at the top is the number of distress calls, but when we come down the pyramid, we get to the root causes of those top-level issues,” commented Peter Broadhurst, co-chair of SEA-CARE and Vice President of Safety & Regulatory at Inmarsat Maritime. “Using other datasets to derive a more complete picture of what’s behind the problems at the top could be key to effecting real change and reducing the frequency of serious incidents at sea.” Seafarers Happiness Index and surveys Data from the Seafarers Happiness Index and surveys run by ITF would provide invaluable insight Several participants agreed to share data from their own organisations – including Andrew Bell, a member of the CHIRP Maritime Advisory Board; Steven Jones, founder of the Seafarers Happiness Index; and Lydia Ferrad, International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) Accredited Representative to the IMO. CHIRP – Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme – owns and operates a reporting system for incident and near-miss data that participants agreed could help to determine the underlying safety deficiencies behind the consistently high distress call figures reported by Inmarsat. There was also consensus that data from the Seafarers Happiness Index and surveys conducted by ITF would provide invaluable insight into the crew welfare-related issues that may influence the frequency of marine casualties. Seafarers Happiness Index and ITF surveys “It has long been Inmarsat’s ambition to gather more datasets outside of pure GMDSS data to supplement its reports and create a more holistic outlook of safety in the maritime sector,” said Jos Standerwick, co-chair of SEA-CARE and CEO of Maritime London. “If we combine the data that Inmarsat receives regarding distress calls with information on the nature of casualties from CHIRP and on seafarers’ lived experience from the Seafarers Happiness Index and ITF surveys, it could go a long way to helping us achieve our common goal.”

Aiming to establish minimum requirements for the cyber-resilience of newbuild vessels and their connected systems, IACS unified requirements (URs) E26 and E27 provide a new benchmark for shipping’s response to its growing exposure to cyber-attacks. Officially in force from 1 July 2024 and broadly welcomed by industry, the new URs represent another step forward in strengthening Maritime's resilience to the evolving cyber threat. However, according to a thought-provoking discussion recently hosted by Edwin Lampert, Executive Editor of Riviera in partnership with Inmarsat Maritime (a Viasat company), shipping companies must still conduct comprehensive risk assessments and implement appropriate mitigation measures. Vessel’s cyber security They ensure all stakeholders are responsible for the vessel’s cyber security Kostas Grivas, Information Security Officer, Angelicoussis Group told the ‘IACS URs E26 & E27: Bridging the gap between regulation and implementation’ session that the URs bring “obvious benefits” such as eliminating “scattered requirements”. They provide “common and crystal-clear ground for auditing and control purposes”, and establish “a solid description of the minimum technical, procedural, and other criteria that govern a vessel’s cyber resilience,” he said. Finally, they ensure “all stakeholders are responsible for the vessel’s cyber security”. Makiko Tani, Deputy Manager, Cyber Security at classification society ClassNK, also acknowledged that the new requirements will “contribute to the visibility of ever-digitalising shipboard networks and their assets”, however, as there is no one-size-fits all cybersecurity solution to all, she continued, “additional controls beyond those specified in the requirements may be necessary, depending on the vessel’s connectivity”. Digital transformation strategy To properly address the cyber risks that a specific vessel is exposed to, she said, “shipowners must conduct a thorough cyber-risk assessment. This relies on a ‘C-level commitment’ to establishing a cyber-security programme that facilitates compliance with URs E26 and E27 and any other future industry requirements while supporting the organisation’s digital transformation strategy”. The importance of looking beyond the IACS URs was also emphasised by Laurie Eve, Chief of Staff, Inmarsat Maritime, who proposed three key areas where companies should “focus and invest not only to meet new requirements but also to go beyond compliance and build good cyber resilience”. Quality management system and standards The firm should focus on training and grasping, managing user rights, investing in a regime system “The first key area, ‘people and culture’, addresses the notion that people are the weakest link in cyber security. According to a 2023 report from the United States Coast Guard as well as findings from Inmarsat’s security operations centres, phishing is the most common initial access vector in cyber-attacks. Investing in people, therefore, should be an absolute no brainer”, commented Eve. Specifically, he continued, a company should focus on training and awareness, managing user privileges, investing in a quality management system and standards such as ISO 27001, assessing suppliers’ risk-management practices, and embedding cyber-security in the organisation’s continuous improvement culture. Risk-management approach The third and final key area according to Eve is an ‘incident response plan’ (IRP). The second key area is ‘network-connected systems and services’. Given the number of attack surfaces on board a vessel and the ever-growing volumes of data moving between systems, many companies lack the time and resources to address all possible weaknesses. The solution, Eve said, is a risk-management approach in which the organisation assesses the risks, sets its risk appetite, and implements security measures according to the costs it is willing and able to bear. The third and final key area according to Eve is an ‘incident response plan’ (IRP). It’s prudent to assume that at some point there will be failures and a breach, an IRP comprises a robust set of contingencies to keep the cost of business disruption to a minimum. It requires investment in backup and data systems as well as regular staff training. “Having a plan is good; training, rehearsing, and improving the plan is better,” explained Eve. Cyber-security requirements While these recommendations apply to all ship owners, Eve acknowledged that there are differences from small to large operators in terms of the budget and internal capability invested in cyber resilience. “Inmarsat’s Fleet Secure offers a ‘one-stop shop’ for cyber-security requirements which makes it a particularly good fit for “smaller operators without the in-house capability to put together their own solutions”, he said. Inmarsat’s Fleet Secure offers a ‘one-stop shop’ for cyber-security requirements Combining three powerful components – Fleet Secure Endpoint, Fleet Secure Unified Threat Management, and Fleet Secure Cyber Awareness Training – the Fleet Secure portfolio provides the tools and facilitates a risk-management approach, supporting “compliance with the new requirements” and, more broadly, “increasing cyber resilience”, Eve added.