Container shipping major Hapag-Lloyd trials NexusWave service to demonstrate how the unique bonded network solution can transform ships into ‘floating offices’

Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, has announced that global container liner shipping group Hapag-Lloyd is among the first to trial NexusWave, the fully managed service which delivers an unparalleled global service orchestrated by bringing together a multi-orbit, multi-band set of connectivity networks as a single network solution.

The trials align with the Hamburg-headquartered shipping group’s requirement for a robust connectivity solution that is capable of meeting increasing communications and security demands, and rising expectations for business and crew communications.

Unique among maritime communications options, the NexusWave solution delivers an “office like” and “home like” experience that’s always connected, without having to worry about usage, quota or speeds by curating various services onboard the vessel to the needs of the owner-operator while providing full transparency on total cost of ownership — an all-in-one, frictionless solution. NexusWave also offers an upgrade path to the ViaSat-3 network.

A series of owner-operator trials aim to verify the way reliable high-speed Internet connections allow critical enterprise/IT functions to move to the cloud instead of maintaining them on vessels, so that shipboard personnel can align with office-based colleagues. Crew will be able to access IT services previously only available onshore.

Patrick Briest, Senior Director IT – Network & Operations, Hapag-Lloyd, commented: “With NexusWave, our vessels can transform into floating offices, seamlessly integrated with onshore and cloud-based IT systems. This advancement in connectivity will allow us to further streamline operations through cloud-based solutions, achieving significant cost savings and enhancing crew IT services to match onshore experiences.”

Specifically designed to meet customer objectives, the NexusWave service leverages SD-WAN technology to provide intelligent traffic bonding and prioritization to ensure that mission-critical operations are continuously connected, while also supporting services based on video streaming such as remote inspections. With business and crew welfare channels maintained separately, the service also enhances crew connectivity.

NexusWave is designed with security at its core, encrypting traffic at the vessel level and protecting it with advanced enterprise-grade infrastructure, trusted by leading enterprises and governments worldwide.

Gert-Jan Panken, VP Sales, Inmarsat Maritime, highlighted the strategic value of the NexusWave solution for Hapag-Lloyd, stating: “With NexusWave enhanced connectivity, we can provide our customers with a seamless, secure, and robust communication environment that transforms maritime operations. We are committed to continuing to provide solutions that not only meet but exceed the expectations and needs of our valued customers like Hapag-Lloyd: ensuring their operations are efficient and future-ready.”