Maritime VSAT market set for growth

The maritime very-small-aperture terminal (VSAT) market has been forecast to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.61% through 2016, driven by the increasing requirement of reduction in operational costs and the increasing adoption of onboard broadband services.

Maritime VSAT is the use of satellite communication through a VSAT on a ship at sea. Since a ship at sea moves with the water, the antenna needs to be stabilised with reference to the horizon and True north, so that the antenna is constantly pointing at the satellite it uses to transmit and receive signals.

In recent years, the expansion of terrestrial networks, cellular networks, and microwave and satellite coverage in several continents has increased significantly. Yet although maritime communication has improved over the years, it still lags behind the advanced communication technology used on land.

The convergence of voice, video and data to all-IP networks has simultaneously simplified users’ requirements. However, users know that it is possible to connect every device and data source on a ship to a single network, and they expect that solutions should be as simple as their home enterprise solutions.

The IP revolution has also driven an explosion of new products and services. In recent years, the demand for broadband services in the maritime industry is increasing rapidly due to the growing adoption of IP-based applications for a seamless connection with the land-based operations.

In addition, commercial vessels require high-speed connections to run onboard business, vessel management and maintenance applications. Further, for retaining crew members, several vessel owners are providing onboard broadband internet connection and VoIP connectivity.

According to a recent market report, Global Maritime VSAT Market 2012-2016, a major challenge currently facing the maritime VST market is the presence of onboard technical issues. For instance, the interruption of VSAT services due to rain fade is one of the major issues faced by maritime VSAT vendors.