Making the most out of maritime satellite communications

This one day conference is for shipping company IT, communications and technical managers, and vendors of satcoms to the maritime industry, who want to get absolutely up to speed on the best technology for maritime satcoms (both here and coming in the next few years) and how to get the most value out of it . Also the best way to keep ship shore e-mail absolutely reliable, keep shipboard computers running reliably and minimise costs.

Join delegates from Maersk, Chevron, Tecto, NSSL, Gardline Marine, Lloyd's Register and Anthony Veder Group.

Many shipowners consider reliability of a ship-shore communications system far more important than available data bandwidth - as e-mail takes a bigger and bigger role in company communications - and many have experienced the headache of problems with shipboard computers causing problems with e-mail, and would like methods to make shipboard e-mail more reliable.

PROGRAM

Conference chairman: David Walker, sales director, Livewire Connections

David Walker, sales director at Livewire Connections was formerly head of maritime business development at Inmarsat for five years. Livewire Connections is a Satellite Service Provider based in Epsom, UK, which has recently launched a new innovative product called Service Selector designed specifically to manage multiple communications systems onboard vessels by providing visibility and simple control to the user. Livewire has also been appointed to manage the communications for the prestigious Volvo Ocean Race where its sister company Livewire Digital is providing the complete media and communications solution based on Inmarsat Fleet and Microwave technology.

SESSION New satellite communication options

9.50 Chairman's introduction

10.00 - Piers Cunningham, head of maritime market management, Inmarsat.- Opportunities with the I4 satellites - new services

Inmarsat is the world's leading maritime satellite communications company, offering a global service with data speeds of up to 128 kbps. It recently launched the first of its new series of satellites, the I4s, with a second launch planned for this Winter.

10.30 Sean Schwinn, director of maritime, Connexion by Boeing

Connexion by Boeing, a subsidiary of Boeing, is developing a global satellite communications service allowing e-mail and internet access in aeroplanes and on ships. Its maritime service is being used by Teekay and costs $2800 per ship per month including equipment lease.

11.00 Don Thoma Vice President, Data Business Development - Where Iridium can add value in maritime operations - use in crew calling, use for business calls - Iridium to Iridium call pricing - Iridium in practise at shipping companies - new developments in the pipeline

11.30 BREAK

11.50 Lars Brodje, managing director, Telemar Scandinavia Presentation on DVB-RCS

Lars Brodje, also a past marketing manager of Inmarsat, is one of the world's leading experts on maritime satellite communications. His company Telemar recently secured contracts to fit Ku Band VSAT installations on 5 Finnlines vessels including VoIP onboard in every cabin, and a five year worldwide service and maintenance contract for satcoms on the Wallenius Fleet. It recently installed a worldwide C band VSAT system for a newbuild tanker in South Korea.

12.20 Laurent Paul, director of maritime services, Eutelsat - multi regional network of broadband services - flexible packages

Eutelsat is the third largest satellite company in the world with 23 satellites. Only Intelsat and SES are larger. Mr Paul has been with Eutelsat for 20 years and is an expert on VSAT. He personally introduced maritime services in Eutelsat in 1990 with the Euteltracs messaging service, then EMSAT voice and data service, VSAT services to ships in 2000 and the Eutelsat@Sea multiregional service in 2005.

12.50 Panel discussion - do shipowners need new satellite communications options - how much bandwidth do they need - options for an "all you can eat service"

1.20 Lunch

AFTERNOON SESSION: Doing more with satellite communications

2.20 Mark Witsaman, vice president technology, Seawave - project with tanker company - shipboard system to manage communications and allow remote support of shipboard computers. Technologies for remote monitoring of shipboard computers.

Mark Witsaman is CTO of ship shore communications company SeaWave, which recently acquired Rydex from Inmarsat. SeaWave recently announced a contract to fit its shipboard communications equipment to 15 vessels operated by a US tanker company. SeaWave products ensure communications are sent by the least expensive, appropriate route, supply voice and data communications to officers and crew, and enable shipboard computers to be administered from shore office.

2.50 Morten Lind-Olsen, CEO, Dualog How can shipowners step by step include their ships into the internet world without complete re-investments?" -Migration from narrow bandwidth to broadband. Techniques for managing ship-shore e-mail

Dualog is one of the world's leading companies in software to manage ship shore e-mail, ensuring that the important data gets through but bills are kept under control by making sure staff are not able to send large attachments by mistake because they treat ship-shore e-mail the same as terrestrial e-mail

3.20 Otto Pedersen, Palantir, tools to make it easier to maintain shipboard computers from shore and fix problems

Otto Pedersen is the main editor and designer of Palantir's Keepup@Sea, designed as a "bullet proof" shipboard IT system which can solve all problems with shipboard PC operating systems and applications in one package. Mr Pedersen is former IT and communication manager with one of Norway's largest offshore shipowners, with 25 vessels.

Palantir was founded within the IT and communications department of shipyard Aker Kvaerner. The software is running on 220 vessels worlwide. IT costs have been reduced on vessels by up to 70 per cent.

3.50 Richard Lord, director of product management Altobridge Practicalities - of making seafarers mobile phones work onboard ships cost effectively for all involved.

Cost to ship owner and cost to the seafarer - what Altobridge is trying to achieve re crew calling - what a shipowner must do to procure, install and get working - benefits- pricing- viable business model Altobridge is the only company in the world developing technology to make mobile phones work onboard ships using normal narrowband satellite communication (Inmarsat / Iridium / Thuraya) rather than VSAT. Since most seafarers have GSM phones, if they could be used mid-ocean to make and receive calls and text messages for a reasonable price, this would be a substantial improvement to seafarer quality of life

4.20 Panel discusson - the most reliable ways to keep shipboard computers working -

4.40 Close