Pieter Schelte Gets SpeedCast Comms

SpeedCast, a satellite telecommunications service provider, has been awarded a satellite service contract by Allseas, a provider of offshore pipeline installation and subsea construction.

The contract covers Allseas’ flagship vessel, the Pieter Schelte, the world’s biggest ship, which took to the seas for the first time for sea trials in September. The satellite service provides high-performance broadband connectivity for mission-critical communications between the vessel and the land-based operations.

In June 2010 Allseas awarded the contract for building its dynamically positioned platform installation/ decommissioning and pipelay vessel Pieter Schelte to the South Korean shipyard Daewoo. Delivery of the completed topsides lift and pipelay vessel is expected at the end of 2014, ready for offshore operations in the summer of 2015. At 382 metres in length and 124 metres in width, it is the largest ship by area ever built. SpeedCast is already serving the rest of the Allseas fleet: Solitaire, Audacia, Lorelay Calamity Jane and Tog Mor.

SpeedCast designed a customized communications solution to meet the requirements of Allseas for the Pieter Schelte, which include operational and ship management applications, as well as crew communications. SpeedCast’s solution utilizes dual maritime VSAT systems, with frequency diversity, including C-band and Ku-band, as well as an L-band backup, to provide Allseas with communication solution with world-wide coverage. The solution provides full system and equipment redundancy for both data and voice services to deliver guaranteed reliability under all operational conditions.

“We are thrilled to be working with Allseas on such an impressive vessel,” said Pierre-Jean Beylier, CEO of SpeedCast. “It is a testament to SpeedCast’s ability to deliver highly complex and customized solutions on vessels with unique requirements. We thank Allseas for their continued trust in SpeedCast and for this latest milestone in our long-term working relationship.”

Press Release