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IEC Telecom and Inmarsat address critical role of connectivity in maritimeIEC Telecom and Inmarsat address critical role of connectivity in maritime

A panel discussion at Seatrade Maritime Middle East led by IEC Telecom and Inmarsat addressed the critical role connectivity plays in the maritime industry.

Marcus Hand, Editor

October 29, 2018

2 Min Read
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The ‘Navigating Connectivity While at Sea’ session brought together renowned industry experts including Senior Vice President Market Strategy at Inmarsat Maritime, Drew Brandy, Managing Director at IEC Telecom Middle East, Nabil Ben Soussia, Marine Superintendent for Mercan Group, Gürkan Büyüktelli, and Rashid Isa Rishi Al Heddi, Group Managing Director of Seamaster Maritime.

Brandy opened the session presenting outcomes of a new Royal Holloway University of London study commissioned by Inmarsat and the Sailors’ Society that draws on the availability of communications tools and its impact on crew behaviour, self-esteem, wellbeing and even productivity.

“Access to onboard connectivity is increasingly becoming a deciding factor in whether young and talented individuals want to spend their lives at sea, and whether shipping companies are able to retain experienced and high qualified seafarers. The benefits of equipping crew extend far beyond social media, this is about empowering people to be more efficient, more balanced and better employees,” he commented.

Read all the coverage from Seatrade Maritime Middle East 2018 with Seatrade Maritime News reporting live on the ground

Ben Soussia focused on striking the balance between maintaining crew welfare and corporate goals and cost-effectiveness.

“Maritime companies today acknowledge that onboard connectivity is linked directly to seafarer welfare as well as business productivity. As such, the challenge is to balance the two well while maintaining budgetary control at all times. Our solutions like OneGate Maritime are designed to meet all of these requirements,” Ben Soussia said.

OneGate Maritime meets the dual requirements of onboard connectivity for crew welfare as well as for corporate use allowing tight control over budgets and crew allocations.

Meanwhile Büyüktelli from the Mercan Group presented the benefits of unlimited internet access to ship management with insights from end-users on different challenges and opportunities.

“Equipping crew with the right tools including onboard connectivity is about empowering them to do their jobs more effectively as well as helping them stay in control of their lives. Connectivity is about more than just web-browsing or access to social media; it’s about providing support for problem-solving, remote diagnostics or telemedicine as well as opportunities for continuous learning,” he explained.

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About the Author

Marcus Hand

Editor

Marcus Hand is the editor of Seatrade Maritime News and a dedicated maritime journalist with over two decades of experience covering the shipping industry in Asia.

Marcus is also an experienced industry commentator and has chaired many conferences and round tables. Before joining Seatrade at the beginning of 2010, Marcus worked for the shipping industry journal Lloyd's List for a decade and before that the Singapore Business Times covering shipping and aviation.

In November 2022, Marcus was announced as a member of the Board of Advisors to the Singapore Journal of Maritime Talent and Technology (SJMTT) to help bring together thought leadership around the key areas of talent and technology.

Marcus is the founder of the Seatrade Maritime Podcast that delivers commentary, opinions and conversations on shipping's most important topics.

Conferences & Webinars

Marcus Hand regularly moderates at international maritime events. Below you’ll find a list of selected past conferences and webinars.

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