Security and Skills Gap Highlighted at London International Shipping Week
One session concerned a global, high-speed broadband service for the maritime industry. A ship could be fitted with CCTV video cameras so that during a security incident, the shipping company could view live feeds and retrieve security logs.
One of the world's largest conferences devoted to the maritime industry, London International Shipping Week, is under way. Hot topics for the attendees, who include shippers, insurers, and government officials, include thwarting piracy and ensuring security, training programs to close an alarming skills gap for newly hired seamen, the industry's overcapacity problem, and communications technology.
One session on Sept. 11 featured Shane Rossbacher, director of Maritime Market Development for Inmarsat, who illustrated how its Global Xpress will revolutionize maritime communication. Describing it as the world's first global high-speed broadband service, GX will enhance security and telemedicine, as well, according to a report on his presentation featured on the event's website.
Inmarsat has partnered with Cisco to deliver the service and with iDirect and Boeing to build the Service Enablement Platform, which allows users to dynamically manage GX bandwidth. The report said he illustrated the power of SEP by saying a ship could be fitted with CCTV video cameras and, during a security incident, the video surveillance application will open more capacity through the satellite and the shipping company can view live feeds and retrieve security logs. Bandwidth returns to normal when the issue is resolved.