Market Overview

The maritime satellite communication market was valued at USD 2.84 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach USD 4.77 billion by 2025, at a CAGR of 13% over the forecast period 2020 - 2025. The maritime sector plays a vital role in the global economy. According to APSCC, the current maritime industry comprises up to 80,000 merchant, cruise, and government vessels at sea and more than 1400 offshore oil rigs. To attain improved connectivity between the land and sea operations, the need for satellite-based communications is paramount.

  • Innovations in the satellite industry have been overwhelming, with the launch of high-throughput satellites using Ku-band, aimed at the aeronautical and maritime markets. Further, the ongoing deployment of high-throughput satellite (HTS) systems from established players, such as Inmarsat, Intelsat, SES, ViaSat, Eutelsat, and Telesat, has been instrumental in driving the satellite capacity supply, which is anticipated to be around 15 times more over maritime regions, over the next three years. This incremental supply is expected to augment the growth of the market studied.
  • Technological advancements that aid the market include - the introduction of high-speed broadband modems, gyro-stabilized ground terminals, multi-frequency dish antennas, and the advent of all-plastic designs that are more resilient to the offshore harsh environmental conditions. Some of the applications that are gaining increasing popularity include - GMDSS services, personal locator beacons, and more recently, satellite emergency notification devices. Further, significant investments and research have been reported to enable improved infrastructure across vessels, thus leading to technological upgradation and supporting the growth of the market studied.



Scope of the Report

Satellite communication technologies help to track the ships and cargo through the globe. VSAT terminals are communication terminals that allow transmitting and receiving text, audio, and video data using satellite broadband Internet services. These terminals operate as geostationary satellites on Ku, Ka, and C bands

Key Market Trends

VSAT Technology is Expected to Occupy Significant Market Share

  • VSAT technology has been leveraged to monitor vessel speeds and fuel consumption, realizing benefits in faster repair times, preventative maintenance, fuel saving, and real-time navigation. Large shipping vessels and oil rigs have adopted VSAT to improve safety and operational intelligence. While cruise ships have equipped their ocean liners with VSAT equipment to meet the growing demand for connectivity as passengers, bring aboard more devices.
  • Modernizing ship management systems to improve engine and systems maintenance, navigation, weather information, and cargo tracking is gaining momentum in maritime VSAT applications. Also, maritime VSAT helps vessels to report in advance and order supplies and spares ahead of time to ensure cost-effectiveness
  • A major driver of the VSAT market is the launch of new HTS constellations explicitly targeted at the maritime sector, putting the capacity issue and its related challenges of bandwidth firmly in the past. For end users, HTS lowers the cost of capacity per MB, which is projected to make VSAT service more economical, along with higher data rates and more affordable, compact terminals and antennas.



Asia Pacific is Expected to Register Highest Growth Rate

  • According to Asia Pacific Satellite Communication Council (APSCC), Asia is expected to account for USD 800 million for satellite communication services by 2021. This is expected to be a key driver for the market for connectivity/communication for the maritime sector.
  • Further, Asia is expected to remain the largest market for maritime satellite services, with the number of in-service units that use satellite connectivity across the merchant, fishing, and oil and gas portions of the sector will grow from more than 60,000 units at the end of 2014 to nearly 155,000 by the end of 2024.
  • The growing concern for the safety of people and the environment has impacted the growth of several efficient mission-critical operations with suitable tactical communication systems. In addition, the growing economies in the region have increased the amount of capital expenditure for mission-critical operations.
  • China is expected to be the major contributor to the market, owing to the strong trade influx, coupled with it being a key market for Asia passenger vessels. These trends are buoyed by Carnival Cruise Lines, creating a dedicated Chinese brand and Royal Caribbean announcing 2 out of 3 of its’ Quantum-class vessels entering into the region. Thus, driving the demand for connectivity at sea.
  • India and Japan are expected to continue to exhibit significant growth with increased offshore activity, trade, and investments in defense security in the maritime sector. All these factors are expected to contribute to the growth of the market in the region.



Competitive Landscape

The Maritime Satellite Communication market is highly competitive and consists of several major players. In terms of market share, few of the major players currently dominate the market. These major players with a prominent share in the market are focusing on expanding their customer base across foreign countries. These companies are leveraging on strategic collaborative initiatives to increase their market share and increase their profitability.

  • April 2019 - ORBCOMM, a global provider of Machine-to-Machine (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, announced that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority(AMSA) has extended their contract for another year through ORBCOMM’s partner Kordia. ORBCOMM and Kordia, a leading provider of mission-critical technology solutions in Australia and New Zealand, will provide satellite Automatic Identification System (AIS) data used for ship tracking and other maritime navigational and safety efforts to AMSA for designated regions and specific maritime projects.



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