INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Mobile Technology
Cradlepoint powers ‘ seafarer connect initiative ’ to keep seafarers in touch with families
Cradlepoint has provided Internet connectivity to thousands of international seafarers entering Australian ports .
Cradlepoint , the global leader in cloud-delivered LTE and 5G wireless edge solutions , has enabled Tas Bull Seafarers Foundation to provide Internet connectivity to thousands of international seafarers entering Australian ports in a program called the Seafarer Connect Initiative .
Tas Bull Seafarers Foundation has rolled out Cradlepoint wireless cellular routers and its NetCloud Service at nine ports across New South Wales , Western Australia and Victoria so far , with the aim of equipping every port around Australia to enable connectivity for all seafarers entering the country .
“ Supporting mental health and welfare of seafarers is a huge challenge in the industry across the world ,” said Robert Coombs , Executive Chair , Tas Bull Seafarers Foundation . “ Normally , seafarers are working on ships for nine months at a time , however during the COVID-19 pandemic , crew have been on ships for nearly two years , which is impacting the mental health of the workers .”
Nearly all ships have no access to Wi-Fi onboard except through satellite , which is very expensive and paid for by the seafarers . Connectivity provided with Cradlepoint ’ s enterprise wireless WAN solution means that seafarers can communicate with family and download movies , and importantly also stay up-to-date on the current COVID-19 status and information in the country they are traveling to and their home countries .
“ Health advice and COVID-19 updates at each geography go through a chain of communications and is then translated for the crew onboard , which means delays and gaps in relaying important and timely information . Connectivity to the outside world means seafarers can get direct and current information in their native language ,” said Bernie Farrelly , Project Manager , Tas Bull Seafarers Foundation .
Tas Bull Seafarers Foundation is now looking at providing Internet connectivity at ports around the world . The organization chose to work with Cradlepoint technology because not only does it satisfy global compliance requirements , but it ’ s also reliable and secure . Especially as countries around the world move towards 5G , Cradlepoint is deemed as a secure solution with global LTE and 5G modems and multicountry certifications .
“ The other key benefit of Cradlepoint for us is that often when we receive funding to provide connectivity at individual ports , that funding needs to be used quickly . The ability to deploy Cradlepoint solutions fast has been instrumental to the success of these projects ,” said Farrelly .
Gavin Wilson , Managing Director APAC , Cradlepoint , said : “ It ’ s very rewarding to see firsthand how these incredible organizations like Tas Bull Seafarers Foundation , use technology to truly improve people ’ s lives .
“ This is one example of how Cradlepoint helps customers with many unique challenges and needs . Cradlepoint ’ s NetCloud Service , the software at the heart of our solution , enables customers to make changes to the network centrally and remotely with ease . It also reduces the time and cost to deploy new services .” p
Due to restrictions on international arrivals all around the world , seafarers have been unable to disembark their vessels , meaning they can ’ t call or connect with loved ones at home . The Seafarer Connect Initiative aims to enable international seafarers to connect with families and friends through Wi-Fi , free of charge on their mobile devices .
Worldwide , seaports are not built to provide Internet connectivity for incoming ships .
70 INTELLIGENTCIO APAC www . intelligentcio . com