The deal represents a major achievement for the service with an existing customer, establishing a position for Fleet Xpress in the highest of high-end markets.
Inmarsat (LSE:ISAT.L), provider of global mobile satellite communications services, has achieved the first commitment to its Fleet Xpress service by a superyacht owner just weeks after commercial launch in a deal secured through Inmarsat distributor e3 Systems.
Inmarsat-approved Fleet Xpress hardware was installed on sail yacht Juliet
Inmarsat-approved Fleet Xpress hardware was installed on sail yacht Juliet at the beginning of May, bringing new era Fleet Xpress connectivity on board the Ron Holland-designed, 44m ketch built by Royal Huisman Shipyard in The Netherlands.
The Fleet Xpress installation is the finishing touch to a refit in the STP shipyard of yachting hub Palma de Mallorca. The project involved the installation of a new Sailor 100GX VSAT system and the Inmarsat GX bespoke below deck equipment configuration. The yacht was relaunched at the end of May 2016.
“For those on board a superyacht, Fleet Xpress delivers an unprecedented level of voice and data connectivity afloat,” said Gerbrand Schalkwijk, Chief Sales Officer, Inmarsat Maritime. “Always-on bandwidth and data speeds that are well suited for S/Y Juliet´s unique sailing itinerary ensures that owner and crew will be able to connect wherever they are in the world. Vessel operations can also be ‘smart’, using continuously updated weather, chart, mooring, and machine monitoring data. Once taken up in this market, the bandwidth, accessibility from everywhere and reliability delivered by Fleet Xpress will simply become prerequisites.”
The Fleet Xpress service delivers high data speeds that are enabled by Inmarsat’s Global Xpress Ka-band technology combined with the proven reliability of Inmarsat’s FleetBroadband L-band service. Inmarsat offers the service based on committed data rates backed-up by service level agreements which guarantee that customers always receive the service for which they are paying.
With accommodation for eight guests and a professional crew of seven, Juliet is luxurious in every way, from the hand rubbed mahogany detail throughout to her array of water toys and audio visual entertainment.
“e3 Systems installed the first Inmarsat Fleet 77 on-board a yacht in 2002, and the first VSAT in 2004. The installation of Fleet Xpress on a superyacht is a natural progression in a market where owners and crew expect excellent connectivity from the moment they step aboard. We are delighted to continue working with Inmarsat in order to deliver the highest level of communications solutions to our clients,” said Roger Horner, Group Managing Director of e3 Systems.
