Marlink Upgrades Hybrid Network for Solstad Offshore with Flexible Starlink LEO Fleet Agreement

Solstad Offshore was the first offshore vessel operator on the Marlink network to trial Starlink, integrating the service alongside VSAT and 4G connectivity. Credit: Solstad Offshore

Marlink, the leading managed services provider of business-critical ICT solutions, has extended its Sealink NextGen solution for Solstad Offshore to include a flexible fleet agreement for Starlink LEO services. This will increase the flexibility to allocate data according to actual needs at any given time across the fleet.

Marlink introduced its Starlink LEO fleet agreements to meet the growing demand for high throughput services within its smart hybrid network solutions. The agreement enables Solstad to share significant Starlink data allowance across their fleet, with the possibility to easily manage the overall data package.

The new fleet agreements allow customers across maritime, onshore and offshore energy, enterprise and leisure boating industries to benefit from a range of bespoke connectivity plans, ranging from 10GB to unlimited data, depending on their needs.

Solstad Offshore was the first offshore vessel operator on the Marlink network to trial Starlink, integrating the service alongside VSAT and 4G connectivity to deliver enhanced communications for seafarers and use new business applications.

Combining LEO and VSAT in a seamless, end-to-end managed Sealink Nextgen hybrid network enables Solstad to improve user experience, application performance, reliability, scalability and security. Solstad will also benefit from advanced network management tools, including SD-WAN application-based routeing, to optimise reliability of business-critical communications.

“Solstad is always on the lookout for ways to improve our digital possibilities, whether for our crews or business users and the opportunity to share LEO data across the fleet is a natural fit for us,” said Christian Nesheim, ICT Director, Solstad Offshore. “Combining Starlink data in a flexible model enables us to share data proactively and respond to changes in demand as they occur.”

“Marlink is constantly working to develop innovative solutions that meet client needs and the ability to offer added flexibility is a natural extension to our blended hybrid approach,” said Tore Morten Olsen, President, Maritime, Marlink. “By creating customised solutions that are seamlessly integrated into our hybrid network, we can enable customers to benefit from higher throughput within the reliability of Marlink’s network.”