The American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier Group (ARC) has become the latest shipping company to add Starlink internet to its entire fleet as it looks to improve connectivity for its seafarers.
The company has been adding the SpaceX technology to its vessels since early 2023 and now has Starlink receivers providing faster internet to all of the ships in its fleet.
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Eric Ebeling, president and CEO of ARC, described the company’s mariners as its “most important asset” thanks to the long weeks they spend at sea at “tremendous personal sacrifice”.
He said: “This new technology allows ARC’s crews to maintain contact with family and friends ashore while delivering for the American government.”
ARC’s fleet, made up of nine vessels owned by the company and its affiliates, is the largest US flagged Ro-Ro fleet in the industry and provides services to both commercial partners and the US Government, including the Department of Defence.
In addition to improving Wi-Fi for leisure use by seafarers, ARC said that the installation of Starlink technology would improve security and communication on its vessels.
The tech, which uses low-Earth orbit satellites to provide high-speed internet to hard-to-reach areas, has become a popular solution to the maritime industry’s connectivity issues whilst at sea.
The Elon Musk-owned system has already been deployed by some of the biggest players in the industry, with Maersk signing a deal with SpaceX to install the tech on all 330+ of its vessels in 2023.
