Marlink Extends Global Network for the Northeast Passage

New Ku-band capacity to support growing number of fishery, offshore and cruise operators in the Arctic Circle

Marlink has extended its global network by adding new Ku-band capacity to Sealink VSAT services covering the Northeast Passage region, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans North of Russia. The new capacity enables the growing number of Marlink customers transiting or working in the region above and below the Arctic Circle to benefit from reliable, high-speed maritime broadband to support safe and efficient operations.

The coverage expansion improves the reach of Marlink’s global VSAT network, enabling Sealink services to continue meeting the changing needs of a diverse user base, especially within the fishery and offshore support sectors. With Arctic adventure cruising growing in popularity, cruise lines are keen to provide the same levels of connectivity available through Sealink in traditional destinations to ensure safety and enable guests to upload photos and videos to social media channels.

The offshore sector is also active in the Northeast region, with even more emphasis placed on safer operations due to the remote and environmentally sensitive location. Further digitalization of offshore operations to reduce the risk of accidents is vital for energy companies to gain exploration and production licenses in the region. In this context, the availability of high-speed Sealink will be a significant boost for the potential to exploit natural resources in the region safely and with minimal impact on the environment.

Marlink has also recently added another satellite to transmit and receive data from one of the most congested areas in Southeast Asia, Singapore. This will make Marlink’s existing coverage even better as ship owners will have multiple satellite beams to provide coverage.

"With Northeast Passage maritime traffic increasing it is important for us to ensure we provide sufficient capacity to meet the needs of Sealink VSAT users,” said Tore Morten Olsen, President Maritime, Marlink. “Likewise, the augmented capacity we have introduced to Singapore creates a single, seamless network, providing high-throughput and availability all the way from Europe to Southeast Asia.”