Marlink to Supply BP Shipping with Improved Broadband

Marlink will provide BP Shipping with global multi-band high speed VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) services to support operational efficiency and crew communication across its tanker fleet. Under the new contract, Marlink will deliver primary communication capability on its flexible Sealink VSAT service, including MSS (Mobile Satellite System) back-up to BP’s operated fleet.

BP Shipping was one of the first operators to adopt maritime VSAT services across its tanker fleet. The company’s current operated fleet will migrate to Sealink Ku-band VSAT. BP’s existing vessels will retain their C-band VSAT antennas, enabling Marlink to deliver a true multi-band broadband service with high availability of connectivity globally. The use of dual antennas on BP’s new build vessels will increase availability of services further when operating close to structures that may obscure line of sight to the satellite.

Sealink Ku-band VSAT, will provide global access to much higher guaranteed bandwidth than currently available on its C-band VSAT alone, with even higher burstable rates. This will provide a higher speed data communication link to support business critical IP applications such as Condition Based Maintenance, significantly reducing equipment servicing costs. In addition to providing data rates at a CIR (Committed Information Rate) of 512kb down / 256 kb up as standard for business and operational needs, Sealink VSAT will become the carrier for BP Shipping’s existing voice calling system.

Marlink’s compression solution will further enhance web browsing and file transfer performance and its web control solution will help to avoid unwanted bandwidth consumption by blocking access to (user-defined) specific websites and restricting bandwidth-consuming services, while giving priority to legitimate Internet usage.

“BP Shipping was the first tanker fleet to use Sealink VSAT services 13 years ago and we are proud that BP Shipping places its trust again in Marlink as a partner and VSAT pioneer,” said Tore Morten Olsen, CEO in Marlink. “Through Marlink’s own infrastructure, we will deliver a high bandwidth data link and global support, leveraging our entire organization to ensure BP Shipping’s tankers can further improve operational performance and are supported remotely and locally by our expert engineers.”