MOL Calls Fleet Xpress "Pivotal" Step Toward Greener Shipping

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Wednesday July 27, 2016

Satellite communications provider Inmarsat plc (Inmarsat) Tuesday announced that its partner JSAT MOBILE Communications (JSAT) has signed an agreement with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), which will see MOL introduce the Fleet Xpress service across most of its fleet of car carriers. 

MOL says the move is "pivotal" to support its efforts toward greener shipping.

"Owners have been eagerly awaiting fully integrated connectivity between ship and shore that delivers an unprecedented scale of redundancy and seamless service virtually everywhere on the planet," said Gerbrand Schalkwijk, Chief Sales Officer at Inmarsat Maritime.

MOL is said to have made the decision to implement Fleet Xpress, among other initiatives that support the company's environmental efficiency, as a result of its aim to achieve a competitive advantage through improving the environmental performance of its ships.

Fleet Xpress is said to be the first global maritime high-speed broadband service that is provided from a single network operator.

"High-speed, ultra-reliable connectivity will transform the maritime industry by putting big data at the heart of operating decisions and cost-controlled connectivity in the hands of seafarers," said Schalkwijk.

More than 5,000 vessels are said to have already committed to the Fleet Xpress service.

For MOL, the implementation of Fleet Xpress on the company's vessels has been planned to coincide with vessel drydockings.

In February, MOL announced that it would be launching a trial use of big data technology on its vessels, intended to support vessel efficiency, safety, and reduced environmental impact, among other benefits.