Marlink and OFW Ships partner for connectivity on water treating plant vessel

French company OFW Ships has chosen satellite communication provider Marlink to provide a multi-band connectivity solution, combining high-throughput global VSAT with an L-band back-up for connectivity redundancy.

OFW stands for ‘Ocean Fresh Water’, which reflects the company’s purpose to sustainably convert saltwater into drinks.

An OFW Ships vessel equipped with a seawater-selected filtration system and bottling plant will be able to produce 2,500,000 litres of premium drinks every week.

The adoption of Marlink’s multi-band connectivity will help OFW Ships to provide crew connectivity including enabling crew to use their own devices onboard.

This is an important factor as only specially hired, technically-qualified crew can ensure the successful completion of all technical tasks on board.

OFW’s contract with Marlink is based on the multi-band combination of global Ku-band Sealink VSAT with L-band back-up, which ensures global coverage and connectivity in all maritime conditions.

The service comes with a Committed Information Rate (CIR) establishing a bandwidth guarantee to ensure enough throughput is available for critical applications used for operations and safety.

Network control and crew account management will be handled cost-effectively by Marlink’s XChange communication management platform.

Commenting on the development, Tore Morten Olsen, President Maritime, Marlink said: “OFW Ships’ environmentally responsible mission is a very timely and intelligent solution to an urgent global problem. It is very exciting for us to support this project by a true green shipping company that is making such an important contribution to creating a more sustainable model for the future, with our connectivity solutions.”

Régis Revilliod, CEO & Shipowner, OFW Ships said: “Reliable, top-quality connectivity is vital for us if we are to carry out our operations as safely and effectively as possible. A well-equipped, well-informed and happy crew is also an efficient crew. Teaming up with Marlink will enhance our working life and help us to serve our clients in the digital world we live and work within.”