NSSLGlobal and Norwegian service reseller FleetCom have formed a strategic alliance to offer satellite communications to Norway’s merchant ships, offshore and fishing fleets. The arrangement will see FleetCom offer a full range of NSSLGlobal’s maritime VSAT solutions in Norway, alongside third party solutions such as Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress and Fleet One.

This will include a global VSAT network that includes coverage from 23 beams on 15 satellites and ground infrastructure from six teleports. FleetCom will offer NSSLGlobal’s IP@Sea dedicated maritime VSAT service, and the Cruise Control Lite an entry-level email management solution. It is also offering satellite-based vessel-monitoring systems to help fishing vessels meet electronic recording and reporting system regulatory compliance required by the EU for fisheries control.

“This partnership provides Norwegian maritime customers the benefits of FleetCom’s local expertise, sales support and service, together with the global reach, technical support and off-the-shelf or bespoke packages available through NSSLGlobal,” said NSSLGlobal group distribution sales director Scott McBride. “VSAT is widely appreciated as an efficiency driver and source of cost savings for maritime companies. Through the partnership with FleetCom we are creating new opportunities for Norwegian customers to control costs while expanding and contracting the amount of data used on board. This is an appealing proposition to shipping companies needing to extend their corporate IT networks to their ships and offer better crew welfare support.”