VANCOUVER – June 22, 2023 – Seaspan Corporation (Seaspan), a leading independent charter owner and operator of containerships, is proud to announce a foundational initiative for its digital transformation journey with utilization of SpaceX’s Starlink. As the first major owner/operator of containerships to fully equip its fleet with Starlink’s low latency and high bandwidth service, this new partnership underscores Seaspan’s commitment to technological innovation and leading industry practices.
Following a collaborative discovery with SpaceX Starlink that began in early 2021, Seaspan was an early user of the maritime flat panel antenna mount kit, and confirmed the technology would effectively meet the unique needs of containership marine operations.
Building on a successful trial period during 2022, Seaspan has now moved to integrate this advanced technology across its entire fleet.
“This collaboration with SpaceX Starlink supports Seaspan’s strategic vision of treating any vessel no differently than a remote office from an IT Services and Support provision perspective,” said Chris Sepp, Vice President of Information Technology at Seaspan. “The low Earth orbit, low latency, high bandwidth service provided by SpaceX’s Starlink allows us to deliver on this vision and our commitment to our crew, as well as their safety and comfort onboard our vessels.”
Onboard connectivity is an important influencing factor for mental health and wellness at sea. The decision to roll out this technology across Seaspan’s entire fleet has been greatly influenced by the positive feedback received from Seaspan’s seafarers during the initial deployments. Starlink’s capabilities have empowered seafarers with essentially unrestricted bandwidth, a transformative step in the maritime industry.
“We are deploying management and cyber risk tools and technologies so we can more effectively and efficiently support our growing vessel fleet at scale,” Sepp added. “Crew feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Integrating this technology is a core foundational pillar of our Digital Strategy.”
Seaspan’s adoption of Starlink highlights its innovative approach to maritime operations, demonstrating how leading-edge technology can be leveraged to cost-efficiently enhance communications and operations at sea.
About Seaspan Corporation
Seaspan is the largest global containership lessor, primarily focused on long-term, fixed-rate leases with the world’s largest container shipping liners. As at December 31, 2022, Seaspan’s operating fleet consisted of 132 vessels with a total capacity of 1,219,080 TEU, and an additional 58 vessels under construction, increasing total fleet capacity to 1,919,080 TEU, on a fully delivered basis. For more information, visit seaspancorp.com.
About SpaceX Starlink
Starlink delivers high-speed, low-latency internet to users all over the world. As the world’s first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit, Starlink delivers broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, video calls and more.
Starlink is engineered and operated by SpaceX. As the world’s leading provider of launch services, SpaceX is leveraging its deep experience with both spacecraft and on-orbit operations to deploy the world’s most advanced broadband internet system.
Media Contact:
Cailey Murphy
Head of Corporate Communications
Seaspan Corporation
[email protected]
+1 778 227 5618
