SES 9 satellite. Photo: SES.

SES and Patrakom have announced a partnership to provide high-speed connectivity to passenger vessels and oil barges traversing domestic routes in Indonesia. As part of a multi-year agreement, SES and Patrakom will provide connectivity for more than 80 vessels via SES 9 located at 108.2 degrees east.

SES 9 is SES’ largest satellite for Asia-Pacific, and has a mobility beam to provide coverage for vessels sailing across the East Indian Ocean. According to the company, the newly created SES Networks business unit allows SES to deliver increasingly differentiated satellite-enabled solutions for data-centric segments, one of them being mobility.

SES 9 has been in operation since March 2016, after being launched into Geostationary Orbit (GEO) by a SpaceX Falcon 9 full thrust rocket. The satellite carries 57 high-power Ku-band transponders and provides Direct-to-Home (DTH) broadcasting and data over Asia-Pacific, as well as maritime communications services in the Indian Ocean.