Case

Study
The Critical Link
ICT consultant Tom Christian Tveita explains why robust and reliable communications is fundamental to the success of GC Rieber Shippings business.
Essentially, the satellite communications provided by Marlinks Sealink VSAT ensures the vital link between our offshore vessels and our offices onshore. The always-on and high-speed connectivity enables us to have continuous and immediate replication of information onboard the vessel and onshore, comments Tom Christian Tveita, ICT Consultant, GC Rieber AS. The primary applications for the connectivity are email, Internet access and cost-effective voice for telephone calls as well as replication of PMS and QHSE databases. We tie it all together with our in-house systems onshore, so that all activity on the vessel is immediately replicated to the office and all office activity is immediately dispatched to the vessel, which greatly improves efficiency of processes. According to GC Rieber Shipping, bandwidth provided by the VSAT is prioritised to customers hiring the vessels, which commonly includes seismic, subsea and oil research companies as well as research departments within governments or universities. Tveita adds, We have an extensive customer base and sometimes customers hiring a vessel from us will have their own clients onboard. So for example, if there is a charterer thats hired a vessel, he could have his own customers onboard who each have their own specific needs for satellite communications. We therefore have a wide-range of requirements to accommodate and it is an integral part of our strategy to ensure we cater for all customers needs, no matter how diverse.

Fleet Overview
GC Rieber Shippings business within offshore/shipping comprises ownership and operation of specialized vessels, with an emphasis on high quality marine ship management. The group has a unique competence in operating offshore in harsh environments and in the design and development, and maritime operation of seismic vessels. GC Rieber Shipping currently owns six and operates seven advanced multifunctional special purpose vessels for defined markets within the segments of subsea, ice support and marine seismic. The company has its registered office and headquarter in Bergen with ship management companies in Sevenoaks (United Kingdom), Singapore and Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk (Russia), providing global presence. The company is listed on Oslo Brs with ticker RISH.

Broadband Internet has unquestionably infiltrated almost every aspect of daily life, changing the way in which the whole world does business. Whether sending emails to the office, making calls to friends and family, banking online or social networking, Broadband Internet has revolutionized the speed and effectiveness of communicating and today, many people cannot imagine life without it. The same applies for the maritime business, where for people working offshore, broadband is required for a wide range of applications from engineers carrying out essential maintenance and diagnostics to members of the crew staying in touch with friends and relatives. For many shipping companies operating vessels offshore, the availability of always-on, reliable connectivity is critical to the smooth operation and success of the business. For GC Rieber Shipping, a global shipping company which specializes in the operation of vessels within subsea, ice/support and marine seismic sectors, communications is an integral part of satisfying its customers needs as well as improving efficiency of the companys operations.

optimal solution the cost, coverage for and stability

even though crew are far from home,they still have access to their home lives through the VSAT

www.marlink.com
OSLO LONDON HAMBURG BRUSSELS ATHENS DUBAI MUMBAI SINGAPORE TOKYO WASHINGTON DC HOUSTON

Crew Welfare
Communications as a tool for boosting crew morale is still core to the strategy for many offshore businesses with demands from crew becoming increasingly focused on data, for social applications such as Facebook. In addition to its customers, GC Rieber Shippings vessels have the companys own business network of crew onboard including the Captain, Chief Engineer and several officers. Crew welfare is also a critical consideration for us, as without investing in communications for crew, we would be unable to attract and retain the best crew to work onboard our vessels. All the crew have equal access to both Internet and telephone regardless of whether they are a charterer, our own crew or the end client. The VSAT solution allows the crew to have free access to Internet and cheap calls to their home so that they can keep in touch with their friends and families easily, at low cost. Crew can also keep up with personal administration for instance online banking and check local newspapers so they can stay up to date with whats happening at home. This means that even though crew are far from home, they still have access to their home lives through the VSAT, explains Tveita. He adds, Today, distance is no longer relevant, its time that is important. Whether you live in Norway or the Philippines or New Zealand and a ship operates in South East Asia, or North Sea or Gulf of Mexico, it doesnt really matter; the distance is no longer there because of the VSAT.

GC Rieber Shipping to offer high-quality, reliable and flexible communications to its customers. There have been a number of projects, when people have said that it is not possible to provide coverage in specific regions, and through working with Marlink weve been able to offer the coverage to our customers and theyve been thrilled. Im not sure that we would have been able to do that with any other service provider. Marlinks satellite communications have enabled us to tie all the vessels applications directly to our office applications, significantly increasing interaction between the data onboard and the data onshore. Each vessel provides us with important information on a daily basis and the capability for this data to be continuously replicated in real-time has significantly enhanced our value offering to our customers. Tveita concludes: Over the years that weve worked with Marlink the company has proven to provide a robust and stable solution for our vessels. In addition to this, Marlink has a dynamic organisation which enables us to make swift changes at short notice so that we can accommodate diverse customers needs. When your business is the transportation of information, like ours is, its imperative to have a link to rely on. To our customers, to relay information swiftly onshore, it is imperative to them that the satellite communications solution works and that its stable. Therefore, its vital to us because its vital to our customers. Now fully integrated into everyday life for many offshore shipping companies the availability of always-on communications has introduced a whole host of new applications including data replication from ship-to-shore and servicing customers onboard, to boosting crew morale. For companies that rely on satellite communications on a day-to-day basis investing in a provider that delivers is becoming increasingly critical.

Reliable Communications
Marlinks innovative Sealink VSAT system is installed onboard the majority of GC Rieber Shippings vessels. As satellite communications is so core to GC Rieber Shippings operations, it is imperative that always-on connectivity is reliable and flexible to meet customers multitude of requirements. Providing a robust and stable communications link for our customers and their clients onboard is one of the most important measures for us. Its a major reason for investing in VSAT and why we use Marlink as our provider. Through the VSATs bandwidth, service engineers are able to log on to the ships systems remotely from the office ashore to monitor and adjust software onboard. This prevents unnecessary travel to the vessel, which reduces costs. It also eliminates potential unnecessary downtime because we can get the service engineer to look at the problem immediately, ensuring our customers satellite communications availability remains constant, Tveita enthuses. According to GC Rieber Shipping, Marlinks satellite communications solutions also provide exceptional flexibility. Dual 9797 C-band and Ku-band antennas are installed so that customers can take advantage of both C-band and Ku-band coverage to meet their individual needs. Tveita adds, The flexibility of the dual antenna ensures that both the robustness and greater coverage of the C-band VSAT coverage is available to our customers when it is required. In addition, Ku-band coverage is also available so that if costs are a focus, customers can switch to this when sailing in Ku-band coverage spots. The system is in place so that we can swiftly switch from C-band to Ku-band to satisfy our customers demands and ensures we are offering the optimal solution for cost, coverage and stability.

enhanced offering toour value our customers

For GC Rieber Shipping, a company which specializes in the transportation of information for its customers, the availability of satellite communications has become fundamental to the successful operation of the business. Marlinks innovative Sealink VSAT has enabled

significantly interaction increasing www.marlink.com

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GCReiber_Case Study_January 2011