Hyundai Global Services (HGS) has announced the signing of a contract to deliver its Smart Ship and Satellite Communications package to KSS Line shipping fleet supported by Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress and digital solution Fleet Connect. This is the first time that the Integrated Smart Ship (ISS) solution from the world’s largest shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) will be delivered as a single package with a satellite communications service.

The Smart Ship and Satellite Communications package is a combination of the ISS – an IoT platform for ships, developed by HHI Group to support vessel operation and device optimization – supported by Inmarsat’s dedicated bandwidth service. This achievement is a direct result of a collaboration between HGS, Intellian and Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications. Intellian and HGS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in July 2019, and a similar arrangement between HGS and Inmarsat was signed in June 2019 at the Nor-Shipping exhibition in Oslo.

The package will allow large volumes of measured data to be transmitted between ship and shore quickly and easily, facilitating remote operations and vessel management, monitoring and analysis services, through Fleet Connect dedicated bandwidth. This is separate from the vessel’s Fleet Xpress connection that will be used for day-to-day business traffic and crew internet use.

“Our plan is for our entire fleet to be operating using the Integrated Smart Ship and Satellite Communications solutions by 2021,” said a spokesman for KSS Line.  “KSS Line is committed to continuous enhancement of its Information Communication Technology (ICT) environment to maximize fleet efficiency and reinvest the resulting savings into its business expansion.”

A total of 15 ships are covered by the contract, including five new vessels and 10 already in operation. The five new ships will be equipped with ISS from build, allowing their operators to manage assets more economically and efficiently. The 10 existing vessels will be provided with separate supporting web services to relay weather conditions and ship locations. The signing ceremony was attended by senior executives from both HGS and KSS, including KSS Line’s President Lee Dae-sung, Executive Director Lee Seung-woo and Executive Director Park Wook-jae; and Hyundai Global Services’ boarder members.

“This is a breakthrough for our Integrated Smart Ship and Satellite Communications solution and a milestone for maritime digitalisation, delivering always-on IoT in a single package with dedicated bandwidth that can be installed on existing ships or embedded at newbuild,” said Kyoungsoo Ahn, HGS Director.

Intellian CEO Eric Sung said: “Smart shipping is an area of growth and importance for the maritime industry, with the opportunity for customers to gain efficiencies and cost savings on vessel operations. Through collaborating with our partners and delivering industry leading connectivity solutions, Intellian has a key role to play in helping customers achieve their objectives. Our partnership with HGS and Inmarsat will deliver great value to KSS Line and we are confident that more of the maritime industry will follow their lead, signing similar agreements in the future.

“We are delighted to be working with Hyundai Global Services and Intellian on this new Integrated Smart Ship solution with a line-fit satellite communications service at its heart, which means that an owner such as KSS can benefit from a service that is built-in by the shipyard and fully operational on delivery,” said Inmarsat Maritime President Ronald Spithout. “It is especially pleasing to see that our new digital solution, Fleet Connect will be a vital part of the service which highlights how Fleet Xpress is so much more than just a VSAT connectivity pipe.”