Starlink Maritime is bringing high-speed, low-latency internet anywhere at sea. This will enable many new safety, autonomous navigation, automation and IoT monitoring applications, benefitting cruises, ferries, commercial shipping, and many other vessels at sea.
Internet coverage while at sea has been a challenge for years. At best, connection is slow, unreliable, and expensive. Maritime internet users have been reliant on multiple, combined technologies that offer limited geographical range, working only close to land. Contrary to terrestrial internet coverage, which is fairly ubiquitous, maritime users, most of all have lived with a serious lack of coverage, especially across the ocean.
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Because of these limitations, the maritime industry has developed at a slower pace than elsewhere in developing and applying new applications gathered under the Industry 4.0 umbrella, including safety, IoT monitoring and automation. It’s clear that there are huge opportunities for this industry with a single and reliable communication network that could provide the basis for other communication technologies and applications that meet specific industry vertical requirements, such as offshore oil and gas operations.
Meanwhile, industrial output has been affected by the current limitations of internet access. For example, cruise ships using geostationary satellites for internet access have to recalibrate their signal every time they move and have “line of sight” to a satellite in order to exchange data. This complicates a seamless internet access for cruise passengers who want to enjoy buffer-less video streaming or video calling with relatives at home. These solutions persist as a result of multi-year operation of a single satellite (up to 15 years), making it impossible for customers to search for alternatives as current contracts have to be fulfilled until the end of the satellite’s lifetime.
About Starlink Maritime
Fortunately, such limitations now belong to the past, thanks to Starlink, the company that provides high-speed, low-latency internet through a growing constellation of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites that fly much closer to the Earth than “regular” satellites. Flying at lower altitudes enables high speed (up to 350Mbps) and low latency communications (less than 20-40ms), demonstrating just a 0.05-second delay on average. Overall, Starlink internet offers better upload and download speeds, has less latency, reducing remote internet access costs dramatically, while expanding capability and throughput.
Some of Starlink Maritime’s use cases include:
- Internet usage at a large scale for cruise passengers, providing a seamless individual online experience including buffer-less video streaming and video calling
- Better remote asset management for commercial shipping companies, enabling monitoring cargo ships anywhere on earth, 24/7
- Reliable and quick internet on yachts, ferries, and vessels anywhere on earth for individual, private use
- Providing the basis for innovative new IoT use cases, such as AR/VR-based remote inspections on offshore oil and gas locations that require high data speeds and low-latency.
Because maritime equipment must endure strong winds and storms to guarantee internet access under difficult circumstances, Starlink Maritime’s antennas are different from their residential counterparts. This includes an IP56 environmental rating, operating temperature of minus 30 to plus 50 degrees Celsius, and survivable wind speed of over 280 kph. These specialised high-performance antennas ensure that connectivity can be delivered even in the most remote, challenging environments.
Why choose Starlink from The Clarus Networks Group
The Clarus Networks Group is one of only a handful of Starlink Authorized Resellers in the world currently. From merchant vessels and oil rigs, to yachts, ferries, and offshore wind turbines, Starlink Maritime allows you to connect from the most remote waters across the world. Customers will also benefit from a fully managed service, including additional service plans, installation, 24/7 support, and integration with other technologies, to deliver the most robust connectivity solution possible. From installation to support, as your managed Starlink Maritime service provider, Clarus offers a host of added services and features to ensure the most effective, enterprise-grade solution is delivered including API Integration, 24/7 NOC Support, Global Service Coverage, Customer Management Portal and more.
Contact The Clarus Networks Group today and find out how The Clarus Network Group can help you manage your maritime assets with Starlink’s high-speed, low-latency internet.
