Recent tensions in the Middle East have exposed that in a matter of days, geopolitical conflicts can transform ordinary working life for cargo ship crew into chaos and uncertainty.
When a cargo vessel becomes stranded in a narrow waterway like the Strait of Hormuz, the immediate concern is usually operational. The world reacts to events like these by worrying about how the delays will impact the price of oil, and the knock-on effect that will have on the global economy. The longer ships are fixed in place and the more they are forced to reroute, the greater the impact on the bottom line – and that’s important.
But for the crew onboard, being stranded is a far more personal issue. Behind every delayed shipment is a group of seafarers living through every waking moment. Often, they have limited visibility of what is happening in the outside world. And worst of all, they may have little to no contact with the people and support networks they rely on to help them through their toughest moments.
Situations like these require smart solutions to ensure that even if the most unforeseen and dramatic circumstances occur, seafarers’ mental wellbeing is protected and a connection to the outside world is maintained.
You may think, but surely, they have WIFI or cellular reception? That’s not always the case. Far enough offshore means connectivity is scarce or non-existent. And in the case of satellite connectivity, in times of crisis, this has to be prioritized for ship-based operations. Entertainment and welfare can slide down the order of importance.
As modern satellite communications (SATCOM) have evolved, it is increasingly playing a role in helping support crew welfare in these types of situations.
The Scenario
On a seemingly ordinary working day, the crew onboard an oil tanker is on its way through the Strait of Hormuz, transporting barrels of crude oil to a refinery in India. In a moment, everything changes.
A signal comes through, and the ship is forced to halt after the waterway is declared unsafe. Immediately, the local authorities begin assessing the situation, but ship operators are left waiting for further guidance. Ships are instructed to hold their position until it is safe to proceed. The crew are unaware of how long they will be there, and what begins as a temporary precaution soon stretches into days of inaction.
Whilst they are not in immediate danger, the crew are trapped in one of the world’s most geopolitically sensitive shipping routes with no clear timeline for a way out. They must try their best to continue working as normal despite tensions increasing by the day.
In moments like these, resilient connectivity can provide crucial respite to ease growing uncertainty.
The Problem
As the days roll on, it becomes increasingly clear that the crew will be stranded for some time. At first, the issue is not so much a lack of activity but a lack of clarity. The crew understands the basic facts, but they don’t necessarily know how much danger they are in or how long they are likely to be stuck there. Stuck in the middle of a rapidly escalating geopolitical conflict, the crew is left in the dark.
Seafarers already live in isolating environments, spending large parts of the year thousands of miles away from their families and support networks. Adding the element of surprise in suddenly being stranded in a high-risk region to the mix, and the emotional burden starts to take its toll. If communications are patchy, low-bandwidth, or reserved for critical operational traffic, the crew may not be able contact their family or receive updates to put their minds at ease. They are not only physically stranded, but they are disconnected from the outside world.
At the same time, the pressure grows on those responsible for keeping the vessel safe and following guidance from shore. Without reliable connectivity, even the simplest tasks are challenging. Updates are delayed and instructions are fragmented, adding heightened pressure to the decision-making process at a time where leadership is expected to stay calm and collected.
The efficacy of connectivity solutions is significantly reduced if they fail to stay consistent. In a geopolitically sensitive environment like the Strait of Hormuz, the risk of a communications blackout is high. If the ship is relying on a single connectivity source – say for example, a low Earth orbit (LEO) network – and that source experiences an outage, the crew onboard are left in the dark.
Moreover, the strength of connectivity is also an important factor. Traditionally, SATCOM systems on cargo ships offered crude, low-bandwidth connectivity reserved for critical operations. As modern ships have digitalised, they have also significantly increased their connectivity demands. The advent of the digital bridge and the rise of data-driven decision making all increase the load, and SATCOM must be resilient enough to keep all these systems online simultaneously.
That is not to forget the connectivity demands required to maintain crew welfare – entertainment, social media, communications. When all these factors combine, a truly modern and resilient connectivity solution is required.
The Solution
Modern SATCOM is specifically designed to meet the vast connectivity demands of modern cargo ships. And when these ships are stranded, the necessity of resilient, always-on connectivity is made crystal clear.
The ability for modern SATCOM systems to connect to multiple networks simultaneously adds a crucial layer of resiliency to critical operations. Even if one network is down, critical systems stay online, and the ship and its crew are kept safe.
The benefits of modern SATCOM also trickle down to the crew. Because different connectivity sources can be used for different applications, where ship operators might be using a GEO network for wide-area, stable coverage, the crew could use a higher-bandwidth LEO for video calls, gaming or streaming in their down time.
The point is that different parts of the ship don’t have to compete for coverage or rely on being close enough to shore for terrestrial linkups. Multi-orbit optionality provides a higher aggregate capacity, ensuring that even at times of crisis, when vital communications must be maintained at all costs, crews can still stay connected to the outside world.
For the crew, having reliable access to connectivity allows them to make video calls, access entertainment, and connect to the outside world through social media and other channels. It allows them to feel truly connected. The younger generation of sailors need this more than anyone after growing up and being used to a constantly connected world. When stress levels reach boiling point, even just a moment of connection with the outside world can make all the difference.
The Benefit
Much like maritime disruption itself, the value of SATCOM is often measured through an operational lens. In the event of an outage or crisis, the focus is typically on how quickly connectivity can be restored and normal operations resumed.
Yet assessing SATCOM purely in terms of operational performance overlooks one of its most important contributions: protecting the wellbeing of the people onboard.
It is in scenarios like these where the benefits of modern SATCOM shine even brighter. Providing a vital connectivity lifeline – helping to protect crew welfare even in the worst conditions.
The world is becoming more fragmented. As shipping routes face growing disruption from geopolitical instability, crews must be equipped with the tools to stay connected even if they are left stranded for weeks or even months.
Operators may not be able to prevent disruptions at sea, but they can ensure they invest in the technology that will prevent their people being left to face it alone.
