Dear Valued Customers,
We are pleased to announce the domestic launch of the new VSAT system, a revolutionary advancement in ship-to-shore communication.
1. What is VSAT?
VSAT is a satellite communication system different from Inmarsat, providing high-speed data communication. By equipping a dedicated antenna, it offers faster communication speeds for both upload and download compared to Inmarsat F and FB.
One of the key features of VSAT is its flat-rate monthly billing system. In Japan, Sky Perfect JSAT Corporation offers this service under the name “OceanBB.” For more details, please refer to the following page:
https://www.jsat.net/jp/satellite/oceanbb/ocbb_whats.html
2. Benefits of VSAT Implementation
The flat-rate monthly billing system provides several advantages:
IP phone usage makes voice calls with the ship free of charge.
No need to worry about data size for email communication.
No need for specialized maritime email systems to reduce communication costs.
Always-on connectivity makes web-based communications more accessible.
Automatic daily updates for antivirus definition files.
In addition to the cost-saving benefits of points (1), (2), and (3), points (4) and (5) significantly enhance the ship’s IT environment.
Moreover, point (3) dramatically changes the requirements for shipboard email software, offering greater flexibility for both business and crew email systems.
3. Disadvantages of VSAT
The main drawbacks are the higher initial costs and monthly fees compared to Inmarsat F and FB. According to our estimates, to realize cost-saving benefits from VSAT, your current monthly satellite communication costs should be around $3,000. Ships with lower communication costs may not find VSAT cost-effective. Note that VSAT is designed for data communication and does not inherently provide telephone and fax functions like Inmarsat F and FB. Voice and fax communications are possible through PC-based IP data communication.
4. Considerations for Different Vessel Types
New Ships: For ships with high monthly communication volumes, such as tankers and chemical tankers, considering VSAT at the time of new construction is worthwhile. The flat-rate monthly fee simplifies budgeting.
Existing Ships (Inmarsat FB): Ships already using Inmarsat FB should continue with FB.
Existing Ships (Inmarsat F): Ships with high communication volumes (exceeding $3,000 per month) may benefit from switching to VSAT, but a cost comparison with FB is necessary.
Existing Ships (Inmarsat B): As Inmarsat B service will end in 2012, prompt consideration for replacement is needed. For ships with Inmarsat B, FB250 or FB500 is generally the most suitable replacement option.
5. Conclusion
Introducing the concept of “flat-rate monthly billing” for ship-to-shore communication is groundbreaking. The future of maritime data communication will continue to evolve towards higher speeds and lower costs.
Our email system is compatible with VSAT, and we can propose optimal IT solutions for ships under VSAT environments. Please feel free to contact us for more detailed information.
For further inquiries, please contact Zhang or Yokoyama at our company.
Thank you for your continued support.
Orca Co., Ltd.
CEO
SU-YEN Chang