Rendition of Fleet Xpress. Photo: Inmarsat

Crowley Maritime has contracted to install Inmarsat‘s Fleet Xpress on a majority of its vessels. Crowley Maritime owns, operates, and manages a fleet of close to 200 vessels including conventional and dual fuel container ships, tankers and articulated tug-barges, and ship assist and offshore services tugboats, and various other types of barges.

The deal was signed following successful trials in Alaska on Aframax tanker, California, and the recently reflagged vessel Rio Grande Express. According to Captain Rodney Jones, Director Operations Integrity with Crowley Global Ship Management, Inc: “Communication needs for an operator with a variety of vessel types like Crowley [are] rapidly increasing and we require a level of performance and reliability that is proven and trusted, with a dedicated support network that is continuously available. Fleet Xpress meets this demand and proved very successful in the trials that were carried out on the California in Alaska and the Rio Grande Express operating in a Liner service.”

Additionally, Inmarsat and Cobham Satcom have launched a comprehensive new Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) push-to-talk (PTT) solution to connect remote workers using vehicles across the globe. The solution aims to provide real-time data transfer and PTT communications to enable remote utilities, mining, aid and NGO, agricultural work and more, as well as for use in public safety and emergency response.