In the latest demonstration of how connectivity is increasingly becoming critical infrastructure for modern operations in the maritime sector, space comms solutions company SES will deploy its FlexMaritime services suite for marine equipment and maritime connectivity company De Boer Marine.
With a basic stated aim of ensures vessels remain connected wherever they operate, De Boer Marine is a provider of marine technology and maritime connectivity services under three pillars: nautical equipment; IT and connectivity; internet of things (IoT) and data. Its products encompass not just connectivity and communication equipment but also navigation, as well as the “revolutionary” IoT DBMatic Smartbox.
The latter is designed to provide users with vessel data with the data that De Boer Marine said is required to increase the efficiency and reduce the costs of day-to-day operations, explicitly tailored to requirements per vessel, in every maritime sector.
FlexMaritime is a global connectivity system powered by the SES high-throughput satellite network and integrated terrestrial infrastructure. It looks to support merchant shipping owners and operators by enabling operational systems, simplifying service management and enhancing crew welfare through “seamless”, high-performance connectivity.
Under the new multi-year agreement with established partner SES, FlexMaritime will see use in providing De Boer Marine with what is claimed to be high-performance global, multi-orbit satellite and terrestrial connectivity to support its maritime operator customers.
Combined with De Boer Marine’s existing expertise in installation, integration and management of satellite systems, the combined service is attributed with being able to provide maritime customers with dependable, reliable connectivity that supports critical vessel operations and enables the next generation of digital and data-driven services onboard.
This capability, said SES, will unlock key use cases such as real-time vessel monitoring, route optimisation, remote maintenance support and enhanced crew welfare, helping De Boer Marine’s customers improve efficiency, performance, and decision-making at sea.
“This agreement with De Boer Marine demonstrates how SES is empowering regional partners with scalable, future-ready maritime connectivity solutions,” said Simon Maher, senior vice-president maritime at SES. “FlexMaritime provides a strong operational foundation today offering a multi-orbit connectivity solution through a unified platform.”
Johannes Oost, vice-president of business development at De Boer Marine, added: “Our collaboration with SES strengthens our ability to deliver reliable, flexible connectivity services to our maritime customers. At the same time, it provides a strong foundation for expanding our multi-orbit capabilities, enabling us to meet evolving market demands and exceed rising customer expectations.”
The deal with De Boer Marine comes just weeks after SES announced a similar expanded partnership with martime connectivity and technology solutions Tototheo Global.
Looking to support maritime, enterprise and government customers worldwide, Tototheo Global believes that through the integration of satellite communications, digital technologies and intelligent infrastructure, it can offer reliable, secure and future-ready operations, saying that it is helping organisations to “navigate an increasingly connected world”.
Tototheo Global is using FlexMaritime for “high-performance” multi-orbit satellite and terrestrial connectivity to allow global maritime users to access connectivity that can support critical vessel operations that need to rely on consistent, predictable bandwidth while accelerating the adoption of data-driven and digitally enabled onboard services. Use cases include real-time vessel monitoring, route optimisation, remote maintenance support and enhanced crew welfare.
