Singtel said today that it is boosting its digital offerings for the maritime industry by adding Starlink satellite connectivity in a bid to encourage ship owners to innovate using AI, 5G and edge computing.

With enhanced connectivity and low-latency capabilities, Singtel said ship operators can analyze data in real time to increase productivity and reduce costs of fuel consumption and operational maintenance.

With its deal with Starlink, the Singapore-based telco operator will add a low-Earth orbit (LEO) broadband service to its digital solutions for the maritime industry. Collectively known as iSHIP, these digital solutions include Paragon, an all-in-one orchestration platform for 5G edge computing and cloud services.

According to Singtel, the platform will manage and automate the smart switching between satellite communication services as ships traverse long distances, including the most remote locations and under severe conditions.

"The maritime industry is a complex, interconnected environment involving large volumes of data being transmitted between thousands of terminals, ships, and ports across the world. We have seen growing demands for faster, more resilient, and low latency connectivity as the industry starts to embrace digital transformation," said Bill Chang, CEO of Digital InfraCo at Singtel.

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A multi-orbit strategy

As the only telco in the Southeast Asian region that has a multi-band satellite network including both LEO and geostationary orbit (GEO) offerings, Chang said that ships and crews can stay connected even in the most demanding maritime conditions.

"The addition of Starlink to our existing suite of satellite communications solutions is part of our multi-orbit strategy to increase the resilience of satellite connectivity in the industry and to enable the rapid adoption of digital technologies and solutions," said Chang.

With over 5,000 satellites in its constellation, Starlink can provide global maritime coverage for vessels of all sizes, delivering up to 220 Mbit/s download speed – easily capable of supporting fleet management, remote monitoring and navigation.