Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, has reached an agreement with offshore services provider Zamil Offshore to roll out an Internet-of-Things (IoT) solution to more than 60 vessels in the Gulf area.
The solution - powered by Fleet Connect and Fleet Data delivered through Inmarsat’s award-winning Fleet Xpress - will allow Zamil to identify, trial and select the best solutions to meet vessel performance expectations set by its charterer, Saudi Aramco.
The announcement follows a successful trial on the fleet’s anchor tug, Zamil 57.
As the world’s leading energy and chemicals producer, Saudi Aramco is contributing to Saudi Vision 2030, a strategic framework that aims to reduce Saudi Arabia’s dependence on oil and diversify its economy.
This means Aramco needs deeper insight and control over the performance of its chartered ships, including those piloted by Zamil.
Fleet Connect will provide the dedicated bandwidth to support vessel CCTV capabilities and other value-added services, while Fleet Data will power enhanced data analytics for efficiency and sustainability.
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Scott Middleton, Regional Sales Director, Inmarsat Maritime, said: “In addition to providing fast and reliable connectivity to improve crew welfare, Fleet Xpress enables the digital and IoT capabilities that Zamil Offshore needs to meet their needs.
"We are grateful to our local partner, Petroleum and Energy Trading Services Company, for its support in rolling out our end-to-end solution across Zamil’s extensive and varied fleet.”
Fredrik Lang, Technical Manager, Zamil Offshore, said: “Inmarsat has been deeply involved in this project from the outset, offering us guidance and support in securing value-added services that will allow us to meet Saudi Aramco’s requirements in surveillance and performance monitoring.
“Thanks to the scalability of the IoT solution, we can add more applications and have the the opportunity to evaluate different options to establish what best meets our needs within our contract.
"New applications for vessel digitalisation are surfacing constantly and we are delighted with how Fleet Xpress allows us to find the best providers without being locked in.”
Aamir Khan, Regional Manager, Petroleum and Energy Trading Services Co. (PETSE), said: “Saudi Aramco is the leading energy company in the Middle East, while Zamil operates the region’s largest offshore fleet.
"Operations of such scale require high-performing satellite connectivity. Inmarsat’s offering in this arena is unparalleled.”
The programme will also see an initial pilot of Videosoft Global’s live-video compression and transmission services to meet Aramco’s CCTV requirements, supported over Inmarsat’s Fleet Connect dedicated bandwidth channel.
Vessel performance management capabilities will be provided by VPS, using Fleet Data’s analytics capabilities to support its solution for data-driven decarbonisation, Maress. These separated channels ensure there is no interference with mission-critical bandwidth onboard.
Iain Janes, Satellite Business Development Manager, Videosoft, said: “Our ultra-low bandwidth streaming service is dramatically more data-efficient than other solutions.
"As a result, we are opening new markets in areas where live video streaming from a vessel was believed to be too data hungry, unaffordable, or not possible.
"There is also the added advantage that Videosoft technology provides automatic variable bitrate control, so customers should never lose a live stream whilst there is a connection, even as low as 4 kbps.
Sindre Bornstein, VP Commercial Decarbonisation, VPS, said: “Inmarsat’s Fleet Data supports the data collection, transfer, and analysis processes that we will use to offer actionable insights.
"We are excited to support Zamil Offshore and Saudi Aramco in improving the efficiency of offshore operations. Maress will allow these companies to collaborate to minimise fuel consumption and emissions in line with Saudi Vision 2030.”
In partnership with Zamil and Saudi Arabia’s CST – Communications, Space and Technology Commission - Inmarsat will continue to highlight the potential of IoT technology delivered via geostationary orbit satellites as a means of connecting offshore vessels to shore.
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