Singapore-based liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) transport group Petredec has signed up to Inmarsat’s Fleet Hotspot internet portal service to provide its crew with better connectivity, following an extension of its Fleet Xpress service agreement with Inmarsat.

Fleet Hotspot, which has been designed by Inmarsat, provides crew onboard with greater access to high-speed connectivity with the freedom to use their own devices. Thanks to Fleet Hotspot, crew onboard Petredec vessels will be provided with a dedicated internet portal, rather than competing with the connectivity used for operational bandwidth. Billing options for owners include separate Master Service Agreements.

Based on crew satisfaction feedback from a pilot Fleet Hotspot installation, Petredec is fast-tracking the adoption of the crew portal fleet-wide, replacing a previous crew connectivity service based on subscription. On completion, all 37 owned Petredec ships will be equipped with Fleet Hotspot, supported by the dual Fleet Xpress antennas on board.

“The powerful moral case for ensuring crews can stay in touch with friends, family, and the outside world has been laid bare during COVID-19, but there is also a direct link between crew happiness and retention of the best crews,” said Neil Giles, fleet technical manager Petredec. “It’s a link that results in safer operations onboard multi-million-dollar assets, greater vessel efficiency, and business competitiveness.”  

“We are pleased that Petredec will be expanding their commitment to crew welfare, safety, and operational efficiency through Inmarsat’s portfolio of services,” said Gert-Jan Panken, vice president merchant at Inmarsat Maritime. “The company is in the vanguard of shipping’s digitalisation journey and leverages technology to realise goals on safety, the environment, efficiency and crew welfare. Our experience is that early adopters of IoT-based solutions quickly see the benefit of measurable performance gains whilst the commitment to crew welfare boosts moral.”