SpaceX’s Starlink will be installed on more than 200 ships of the Japanese company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines. More than half of the fleet will be equipped with systems by the end of the fiscal year 2023.
Japanese shipping company Mitsui OSK Lines has announced the installation of Starlink satellite communications service on 233 of its ocean-going ships. MOL Group plans to install the systems on about 140 vessels by the end of fiscal year 2023, the company said.
MOL previously conducted tests of Starlink on several vessels under its management and found that the communication environment has increased significantly. For example, communication speeds have increased almost 50 times, allowing sailors to make video calls with family and friends, as well as have fun on the internet, including watching movies. All this was previously difficult and sometimes impossible.
Given the positive impact on the well-being of seafarers, MOL has decided to proceed with full-scale deployment of the system on all its ocean-going vessels. Tests will be carried out on cruise ships, ferries, and coastal RoRo vessels.
The company relied on research that there was a severe shortage of seafarers in the industry due to difficult sailing conditions. Therefore, it was decided to improve the well-being of company employees going on voyages. Since the general on-board communication environment has limited opportunities for private communication with family and friends, its improvement has become a critical issue that needs to be addressed. MOL plans to further promote digital transformation (DX) of maritime operations.
Starlink is a satellite communications service that uses thousands of satellites deployed in low Earth orbit to provide high-speed, low-latency communications. The company’s services are of the highest quality in the industry and work even in the most extreme places on our planet.
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