Inmarsat and Cobham SATCOM's partner Beijing Marine Communication & Navigation Company has won the largest Inmarsat Fleet Xpress installation project to date, with Nanjing Tanker Corporation of China. Just two weeks after the launch of Inmarsat's Fleet Xpress service, the agreement brings always-on, next generation high-speed broadband capability worldwide to 70 ships; delivering 'smart shipping' connectivity to drive performance optimisation and a step change in crew communications and welfare for Nanjing Tanker Corporation (NTC) vessels.

"Nanjing Tanker Corporation has been pivotal in China's expansion in oil, oil products, specialised chemicals and liquefied petroleum gas transportation," says Gerbrand Schalkwijk, Chief Sales Officer, Inmarsat Maritime. "We are especially pleased that the benefits which Fleet Xpress delivers for vessel efficiency and crew welfare have been acknowledged so quickly after the launch of our game-changing service by one of the companies focused on driving commercial maritime opportunities in China."

Cobham and Inmarsat partner Beijing Marine Communication & Navigation Company (MCN) will manage the roll-out of Cobham's SAILOR 100 GX and SAILOR 60 GX antenna systems to NTC.

"Fleet Xpress with SAILOR antennas will open the way for Nanjing Tanker Corporation to exploit greater use of data and collaboration focused on 'smart shipping' applications, including video conferencing, remote vessel assistance/diagnostics, telemedicine, video surveillance and information management systems for maritime 'big data' applications," said Song Zhen, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for MCN.