Case Study: Fishing Trawler Vessel Overcomes Connectivity Challenges with Starlink Solution

With Network Innovations Maritime as your trusted advisor, rest assured that your vessel will be equipped with a solution most tailored to your operational needs. The Starlink solution has opened up new opportunities for our client, enabling more highbandwidth activities like video streaming as well as video calls.

The Challenge

Fishing is an ever-evolving industry, which requires robust, resilient connectivity for seamless communications to shore. Whether it’s sending reports to fishing authorities on land or chatting with loved ones via online messaging, a reliable internet connection is a must-have for crews.

In pursuit of delivering the highest quality seafood to consumers worldwide, a U.S. Fishing Trawler was looking to modernize their on board communications and embrace the latest technology - to enhance performance and streamline their daily tasks.

The vessel’s existing solution was proving to be inadequate for the crew’s requirements, impeding operations on board due to a slow and unreliable link. Realizing the need for an upgrade in connectivity, the crew turned to Network Innovations' team in Dutch Harbor.

The Solution

With extensive experience in both upgrading and servicing marine vessels of all types, Network Innovations assessed the crew’s needs and proceeded to install a flat high performance Starlink antenna to enable global maritime coverage.

Starlink, the world’s first and largest satellite constellation using Low Earth Orbit (LEO), delivers broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, video calls, and other high data rate applications. With coverage of up to 350 Mbps download while at sea, the crew can transmit data and information in realtime, enabling them to quickly respond to changing weather conditions, track catch data, send reports, and adjust their fishing strategy accordingly.

Moreover, the installation of pre-commissioned Peplink routers further enhanced the vessel’s connectivity. These advanced routers act as a conduit between Starlink and other mobile internet sources, working in harmony to combine multiple WAN sources into a single virtual connection. Thanks to the blend of these technologies, online communications on board the fishing vessel have become exceptionally resilient, withstanding even the most extreme conditions.

Starlink’s hardware bears a small footprint and demands minimal above deck space. To accommodate the dynamic and fast-paced setting of the vessel, Network Innovations carried out the installation within several hours.

The Results

By embracing this end-to-end Starlink solution, the crew on board can access high-speed, low-latency internet when operating in remote areas. This will make it easier for them to remain connected to work colleagues, family, and friends.

For added peace of mind, the network is proactively monitored via Network Innovations' Network Operating Center (NOC), with support specialists working to resolve connectivity issues quickly to keep operations online. Todd King, Dutch Harbor Service Manager, commented:

With Network Innovations Maritime as your trusted advisor, rest assured that your vessel will be equipped with a solution most tailored to your operational needs. The Starlink solution has opened up new opportunities for our client, enabling more high-bandwidth activities like video streaming as well as video calls.

Staying connected to land is essential for both operations and crew welfare. Adopting the latest technologies, ship-to-shore communications, and everyday life at sea has become safer and more efficient for the vessel. Network Innovations will continue to provide premium support to the crew, ensuring that their operations are seamlessly connected as they navigate the waters in search of their catch.

If you’d like to talk about your connectivity challenges at sea, our team is here to help optimize your operations and services, empowering vessels of all sizes to stay connected and function efficiently.