Connectivity plays a critical role in modern maritime operations, enabling essential communication between crew and shoreside teams for monitoring data, maintenance, safety procedures, and cybersecurity. Seafarers heavily rely on internet access for work responsibilities and leisure, making ubiquitous and reliable connectivity paramount for efficient operations and crew welfare.
Connectivity is heavily relied on to support computers and communication, but it’s also necessary for monitoring data that is exchanged with the crew onboard and the shoreside. One offshore operator told Thetius, “In the different management systems used by vessels, there’s so much that the crew will find an issue with. They might want to raise an issue with a filter, for example, so what they’ll do is open up a maintenance ticket and this starts the conversation between the crew and the onshore team. There will be a lot of back and forth between ship and shore. The vessel isn’t going to be able to function safely without this communication system working, at least not in our company…I’d give it a maximum of three days without safety being seriously compromised.”
Today, as seafarers’ daily tasks are so heavily dependent on communication with shore, the sudden lack of it creates an even bigger issue than it did a decade ago when the internet wasn’t relied on nearly as much. Crew just weren’t as dependent on it in the past. They were manned differently and had different responsibilities, so people weren’t so dependent on them. Today, when something happens, even your best engineers or your best captains just become dependent on it. And that’s your first thought when something happens. ‘It’s okay. I can talk to the shore office, and they’ll tell me what to do.’
The need for ubiquitous connectivity to support the needs of the crew. The survey results speak for themselves. 80% of seafarers who participated in the survey said they spend their leisure time communicating with friends and family, while 70% said they spend their downtime browsing the internet. Both require seamless connectivity. The frustration of not being able to FaceTime a family member is not something many of us on land have to deal with. For many seafarers who do not have access to the connectivity they desire, it’s a common occurrence. Today though, fast and reliable internet access for crew is paramount, and it’s playing a role in whether they decide to join and remain onboard.
It’s no secret that cybersecurity is a growing topic of concern in the maritime industry. The more technology and connectivity onboard a vessel, the greater the flow of data and the wider the opportunity for cybercriminals to infiltrate. In any security breach, people, property, and the environment are at risk. Kyle Pemberton, Manager of Engineering, SEACOR, said that they are actively removing the people aspect through seamless connectivity, enabling property and the environment to be fully focussed on. There is also a growing pressure on vendors to implement cyber protection at the earliest opportunity when developing their digital solutions. Harvey Gulf International Marine uses a lot of systems from Finnish tech manufacturer Wärtsilä, and according to Dain Detillier, Executive Vice President, LNG Operations, they’re hot on having remote access to the systems to see exactly what’s going on.
Seamless and robust connectivity is no longer just a luxury – it is an operational imperative. As vessels become more technologically advanced and data-driven, the ability to maintain real-time communication between ship and shore is vital for ensuring safety, efficiency, crew welfare, and cyber resilience. Continuous investment in reliable connectivity solutions will be critical for maritime companies to address emerging challenges and exploit new opportunities presented by digitalisation. Ubiquitous connectivity has become the central nervous system, enabling smarter, more sustainable maritime operations in the 21st century.
For a more detailed insight and understanding of the topics briefly discussed in this article, please refer to our thought leadership report commissioned in partnership with Inmarsat, The Digital Wave. To find out more, download your copy of the full report here.
