Smooth Sailing: How Intelsat FlexMaritime Connects Yachts at Sea

Delivering reliable, high-quality satellite connectivity for a relaxing and entertaining journey

For those looking to get away, the tranquility of sailing on a private yacht or personal boat is unmatched, yet going hours without connectivity can increase stress levels and lead to a poor leisure experience for both passengers and crew members. When looking to charter a vessel or captain a ship, reliable connectivity is becoming increasingly critical to maintain operations, safety, and quality of life on board, regardless of where their journey takes them.

Connectivity not only offers passengers, captains, and crew peace of mind knowing that they can connect with friends and families onshore, but it also allows vessels to maintain critical operations, such as navigation systems and weather monitoring while having the ability to receive support from onshore personnel and remain visible for tracking. In addition, yachts are increasingly being equipped with sensors and systems to monitor engines, depths, shorelines, reefs, and other ocean features. These systems require consistent connectivity to stream data for real-time analysis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened the desire for reliable connectivity as crew and passengers would have access to medical documents and telemedicine, keeping them up to date with health requirements for each port. The benefits of reliable connectivity go beyond safety. They enable those onboard to stream, browse the internet, watch movies, sports and news channels, join video conferences and work remotely, just as they would on land.

Demand for seamless coverage is increasing dramatically, and with that comes a willingness to prioritize spending on connectivity. In fact, the global yacht industry market is forecasted to reach $10.8 billion by 2026 (source), with the maritime satellite market reaching $3,251 million by 2025 (source).

Offering connectivity to a growing number of vessels is complex. Furthermore, yachts are changing locations more frequently, spanning farther distances, and visiting remote sections of the sea that have historically had little coverage. Global, redundant satellite networks are a necessity in delivering consistent coverage as yachts travel further. Extended voyages are also increasing the demand for flexible data plans that can accommodate increased times at sea.

Other destinations, such as the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, are dense with ships contending for bandwidth. In these popular and congested areas, many satellite operators claim to have available capacity, but the sheer number of vessels in these hot destinations can lead to a drop in internet quality, especially with data-hungry applications. Offering ubiquitous coverage in both remote and high-density spots requires breadth in throughput and satellite network resiliency.

No Fail Connectivity: Intelsat FlexMaritime Provides Dependable Broadband Connectivity, Oceanwide

There were over 10,000 medium and large leisure vessels operating in 2022, according to Euroconsult. Harbor Research estimates connectivity-enabled services for this market will be worth over $620 million by 2026, an average of over $60,000 per vessel. In this growing market, a trusted connectivity partner is required to deliver the internet experience passengers expect at sea.  

Intelsat operates the world’s largest geosynchronous satellite network, with expansion plans underway to deploy the world’s first global unified network. Merging software-defined satellite technology, multiple orbits, cloud infrastructure, and terrestrial network advancements, Intelsat will continue to enable users to experience simple, seamless, and secure connectivity, precisely when and where needed.

Intelsat FlexMaritime is a global, secure, fully managed connectivity solution designed specifically for maritime needs. FlexMaritime delivers speed and multiple layers of throughput where needed, whether for racing yachts or sightseeing across the Alaskan glaciers. This award-winning, high-performance service provides consistent, “always on” connectivity anywhere in the world with unrivaled network uptime meaning end-users won’t have to worry about service availability or quality.

Delivered to end-customers exclusively through Intelsat’s network of select, experienced Solutions Partners, FlexMaritime can be integrated with their innovative value-added services and world-class support to create the perfect solution for their customers. And with a portfolio of cost-effective, easy-to-install terminals, FlexMaritime is the preferred solution for yacht owners looking for first time connectivity solutions, or those looking to upgrade from other narrowband technologies.

Since launching its FlexMaritime service in 2017, Intelsat has become the leading provider of broadband connectivity for maritime passengers and crew and powers the largest share of maritime VSATs. With more than 10,000 ships on the FlexMaritime network, Intelsat has proven its ability to streamline internet access worldwide. Even a sailing adventure to the most remote parts of the globe won’t mean a sacrifice in coverage or quality. Learn more at http://www.intelsat.com/maritime.