Marlink VSAT for 75 New Scorpio Tankers and Bulkers

Follow-up contract for WaveCall Ku-band VSAT with L-band back-up and future HTS migration

SMM, Hamburg, 9th September 2014 – Scorpio Ship Management (SSM) has chosen Marlink’s WaveCall VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) services for 75 newbuild tankers and bulkers to be delivered throughout 2015 and 2016. Following a separate contract in 2013 to provide VSAT services for 46 newbuildings and upgrading of the existing 27 vessels, this new contract adds into a total of 148 SSM managed vessels that will operate using WaveCall Plus services.

Marlink was selected for the original 46 newbuildings and existing fleet upgrade in a competitive bidding process, with WaveCall winning due to its exceptional quality of service during testing. Happy with the performance offered by WaveCall, based on 512kbps uplink and 256kbps downlink, SSM has selected the same service parameters for its 75 new vessels. Each vessel is being fitted with a 1 metre Ku/Ka-band convertible antenna, L-band back-up, and Iridium handheld with external antenna for security and anti-piracy applications. WaveCall is the first maritime innovation from the AuroraGlobal multi-band portfolio, providing Scorpio with the most stable connectivity and future proof service, also offering HTS satellites when available.

“Quality of Service has been the most important factor in SSM selecting WaveCall. We have been able to prove in the field that guaranteed data rate is far more important in actually getting data to a vessel than advertised maximum speeds,” said Alain Laplace-Toulouse, Area Sales Manager, Marlink. “Our quality of service is backed up by our support offering. Not only can we act fast through our Global Field Service Alliance anywhere in the world, but in addition SSM has a dedicated manager at Marlink to monitor services daily, in order to take pro-active action if needed.”

Marlink’s Quality of Service and Support is matched by a high performing IT organisation in SSM. Marlink’s service provides the bandwidth that SSM IT staff need to remotely manage SSM vessels from shore, ensuring their ability to increase safety and efficiency across the entire fleet. In addition WaveCall Plus will enhance the free internet services provided to the crew on SSM managed vessels by adding more bandwidth for crew to use.

Delivery of WaveCall VSAT for the first 46 SSM newbuild vessels is proceeding as planned, with 30 installations already completed and ready for service as of end of August.

Founded in 1971, SSM is an integrated ship management company located in Monaco with affiliates in Mumbai and Houston.