Superyacht skippers and crew are reporting increasing demand for satellite-delivered bandwidth to drive vessel management, address higher than anticipated usage of internet of things (IoT) applications onboard and to deliver navigation optimisation.
These are the initial findings of the 2018 Inmarsat Superyacht Connectivity Report, an extensive connectivity survey on the usage and demands for connectivity onboard the global superyacht fleet, produced in association with The Superyacht Group.
Despite these critical operations being identified as the most important functions of satellite communications onboard, the research also revealed that the level of cyber security deployed by the global superyacht fleet is minimal, with nearly 64% of yachts relying on a simple on-board firewall or crew managed system.
In addition, the survey showed that crucial factors for senior crew members were connectivity speed and bandwidth capacity, followed by price. With owners demanding a seamless internet connection and home broadband equivalent speeds on their yachts, captains have a demanding challenge to meet both usage expectations and budget limitations.
Rob Myers, Senior Director, Inmarsat Maritime Market Development, said, “The survey has provided us with really valuable insight into exactly how the owners’ representatives, captains and engineers use satellite communications. It also underlines what their needs are for the future and how we can help to ensure our global services match these requirements with particular regard to seasonal flexibility and extreme reliability.
“With digitalisation prevalent in the superyacht sector, cyber security is a key factor in the future safety of these vessels and we are working to provide more robust and accessible options than they currently employ.
“It was good to see Inmarsat listed as one of the most reliable and consistent services available for global operations, as we are continuously building on our advanced technology and pricing flexibility to meet the stringent demands of the superyacht market.”
Respondents to the survey have worked on over 160 superyacht installations and were able to provide valuable insight into the usage and future requirements for global, mobile satellite communications on vessels from 30m to over 80 metres.
Details from the report will be enhanced at further planned meetings with captains and engineers during events at the MBYA Charter Show in Barcelona, the Palma Superyacht Show and the Newport VOR stopover event in the US.
Inmarsat recently launched its Fleet Xpress for superyachts service, which has been well received in the market. The company will continue to enhance and develop its range of services based on these survey results, with the aim of keeping the global superyacht fleet safe and connected – wherever they sail in the world.
