The North Atlantic Oceanic Route is one of the most strategic trade routes, linking Western Europe and North America. Each year, commercial maritime vessels transport large volumes of cargo through this sea lane. These waters also support major fishing, offshore energy, cruise and leisure industries.

However, network connectivity for critical operations can be lacking in this relatively remote area. A lack of connectivity can hinder a ship’s navigation or maintenance systems, and it can severely limit or even prevent the crew’s communications with family and friends on shore. This means that in order to succeed, fleets operating in this region need reliable network coverage.

Let’s take a look at why reliable connectivity is critical for helping vessel owners and operators stay competitive, and at how solutions providers can now deliver this crucial coverage in the North Atlantic Sea Lane.

Why Fleets are Seeking Innovative Means for Connectivity at Sea

Across the maritime industry, companies are finding innovative ways to utilize reliable, high-performance, scalable connectivity to optimize their operations and improve the crew and passenger experience. A few examples include:

• Ship operators have incorporated advanced high-bandwidth applications into their operations at sea to stay connected with onshore operations, track deliveries, conduct remote diagnostics, comply with regulatory requirements, and more.
• Continuous monitoring of weather data improves voyage planning and optimizes fuel consumption.
• Crews use connectivity to stay in touch with friends and family, and to access education and entertainment activities.

These innovative examples allow ship owners and operators to:

• increase fleet efficiency
• prevent downtime
• optimize energy consumption
• reduce maintenance costs
• improve crew welfare

Recognizing this growing need for connectivity, Intelsat recently expanded its FlexMaritime service to support these mission-critical operations in the North Atlantic Sea Lane.