Castor Marine to add Starlink to existing VSAT system
Castor Marine to add Starlink to existing VSAT system to boost the low-latency, high- bandwidth broadband experience for Acta Marine’s W2W fleet and crew, according to the company's release.
Shortly after the announcement of Castor Marine being an Authorized Starlink Reseller, the company signed a contract to outfit Acta Marine’s Walk-to-Work vessels with Starlink connectivity.
This includes the two Methanol MDO/HVO powered DP2 Construction Service Operating Vessels (CSOVs) that Acta Marine ordered earlier this year. Castor Marine already manages Acta Marine’s entire fleet connectivity. Starlink will be integrated with the existing onboard communications infrastructure. Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications at sea is becoming increasingly important, because of its ability to provide high-speed Internet at very low latency.
With this project Castor Marine’s strategy to offer Starlink to its portfolio is already paying off. The W2W vessels will each get four Starlink antennas and the full Fortinet suite for secure SD-WAN and SD-LAN network connectivity. This means that onboard operational and Crew Internet traffic is secure and fast, i.e., a download speed of more than 500 Mbps.
Castor Marine already serves Acta Marine’s fleet of offshore and DP2 workboats with VSAT and Iridium Certus services and recently installed the new Internet security infrastructure as well. This is important, as good communications between all parties involved in an installation or maintenance project is the basis of successful and safe offshore operations. This goes especially for Acta Marine’s fleet and crew who’s combined capabilities mean that work can be performed around the clock in harsh offshore conditions.
Castor Marine is a satellite service provider and teleport operator, providing a suite of Global Connectivity Services which are seamlessly integrated and managed through our online portal. These include Global VSAT Ku-band services based on a fully owned and operated global Ku-band network, in addition to L- band and 5G LTE services.
Acta Marine is a provider of marine services to the offshore wind, coastal infrastructure, and oil & gas markets, utilizing its fleet of 34 vessels to serve a broad client base across the world. Acta Marine is owned by MerweOord B.V., a Dutch family holding controlled by the Van Oord family, with over 150 years of maritime industry experience. Acta Marine employs 300 people and is located in Rotterdam (HQ) and Den Helder, with additional representation offices located in United Arab Emirates, France and the UK.
