Rendition of Fleet Xpress. Photo: Inmarsat.

To meet unexpected levels of demand for its Fleet Xpress service, Inmarsat is boosting the number of ports where a complete service installation with a flat fee is available from six to 33. Fleet Xpress installation will now be available at 12 Asia Pacific ports, 11 in the Europe, Middle-East and Africa region, and 10 ports in the Americas. Inmarsat-certified engineers will undertake all the work, according to the company.

Inmarsat’s enhancement of its installation capabilities is part of the company’s strategy to support the global adoption of the Fleet Xpress service, which combines Inmarsat’s Global Xpress and L-band networks.

Ronald Spithout, president of Inmarsat maritime, said Inmarsat will continue to prioritize the expansion of its global service capabilities in support of the surge in Fleet Xpress installations. He cited the role played by hardware partners Cobham Satcom and Intellian, and service agreements such as that recently announced with Radio Holland, as key to enabling fast industry transition to connectivity with Fleet Xpress.

Inmarsat also continues to incentivize end-users and strategic partners to fast-track Fleet Xpress installation and conversion. Most recently, the company announced a flat fee charge of $3,000 for every vessel that commits to an installation date by Dec. 31 at either an existing key port or one of its newly identified key ports. Inmarsat estimates that such a commitment could be worth up to $5,000 per vessel to a prospective customer, because it effectively waives fees that would otherwise be levied for preparation, administration and activation, as well as installer travel costs and waiting time.