Inmarsat in Zamil Offshore deal for Saudi Aramco-chartered vessels

Photo: Inmarsat The Inmarsat agreement will allow Zamil Offshore, which operates the largest OSV fleet in the Gulf region, to roll out an IoT solution to more than 60 vessels.
Global mobile satellite communications provider Inmarsat is to assist Zamil Offshore with roll-out of an Internet-of-Things (IoT) solution for over 60 support vessels operating in Gulf waters.

“Inmarsat’s Fleet Connect and Fleet Data integrated IoT solution will support CCTV and performance management for more than 60 vessels,” the communications provider said.

The solution, part of Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress system, will allow Zamil to identify, trial and select the best solutions to meet vessel performance expectations set by its charterer, Saudi Aramco, Inmarsat said. A successful trial on the fleet’s anchor tug, Zamil 57, has been completed.

“Fleet Connect will provide the dedicated bandwidth to support vessel CCTV capabilities and other value-added services, while Fleet Data will power enhanced data analytics for efficiency and sustainability, Inmarsat said.

“In addition to providing fast and reliable connectivity to improve crew welfare, Fleet Xpress enables the digital and IoT capabilities that Zamil Offshore needs. We are grateful to our local partner, Petroleum and Energy Trading Services Company (PETSC), for supporting our end-to-end solution across Zamil’s extensive and varied fleet,” Scott Middleton, regional sales director, Inmarsat Maritime, said.

According to Inmarsat, the programme will also see an initial pilot of Videosoft Global’s live-video compression and transmission services to meet Aramco’s CCTV requirements, supported over Inmarsat’s Fleet Connect dedicated bandwidth channel.

Vessel performance management capabilities will be provided by VPS, using Fleet Data’s analytics capabilities to support its solution for data-driven decarbonisation, Maress. “These separated channels ensure there is no interference with mission-critical bandwidth onboard,” Inmarsat said.

“Inmarsat has been deeply involved in this project from the outset, offering us guidance and support in securing value-added services that will allow us to meet Saudi Aramco’s requirements in surveillance and performance monitoring,” Fredrik Lang, technical manager, Zamil Offshore, said.

“Thanks to the scalability of the IoT solution, we can add more applications and have the opportunity to evaluate different options to establish what best meets our needs within our contract. New applications for vessel digitalisation are emerging constantly and Fleet Xpress allows us to find the best providers without being locked in.”

“Saudi Aramco is the leading energy company in the Middle East, while Zamil operates the region’s largest offshore fleet. Operations of such scale require high-performing satellite connectivity. Inmarsat’s offering in this arena is unparalleled,” Aamir Khan, regional manager, PETSC, said.