Goldenport, which manages 23 vessels, has chosen to provide internet access to crew members via the Infinity registered users platform. Under this system, each seafarer is given an individual login and can, from his user account, buy the data he needs for web and voice consumption.

Athenian Sea Carriers, which operates six very large crude carriers (VLCC) of 300,000 dwt, has opted for a PIN system. Each crew member gets internet access by buying PINs of 100MB. Once he has used up all the data, he can purchase another 100MB PIN.

Until now, Athenian Sea Carriers used Inmarsat E&E and FleetBroadband on an entry plan for business use and crew e-mail (text only). Navarino says that the shipping company decided to change so as to provide crew with larger internet access and lower cost calls.

The IT staff of the carrier performed the installation in one to two days and all six vessels, equipped with JRC 500 and/or JRC250 terminals, now have a dual SIM 6GB data plan. Infinity is used to help manage data usage, VLANs, vessel tracking, crew calling with regular voice PINs, and crew internet access with the 100MB data PINs.

Each ship is using 3-8GB a month in cumulated web data and voice minutes (between 2,000 and 10,000 voice minutes/month).

At Goldenport, the usage is around 3GB per month for crew welfare, and around 1,300 voice minutes for voice. Goldenport is implementing the Infinity office-to-ship VoIP setup to bring down the cost of communicating with its ships from headquarters.