i4sea signs up as new certified Inmarsat fleet data application provider
Brazil-based startup i4sea and Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, have signed an agreement for i4sea to join the fast growing group of certified application providers to provide a dedicated application for Inmarsat’s Fleet Data service.
Fleet Data collects data from onboard sensors, pre-processes that data, and uploads it to a central cloud-based database, equipped with a dashboard and an Application Programming Interface (API).
The partnership came as a result of the Bluetech Accelerator, a program created by the Portuguese Ministry of the Sea in 2019 to create an ecosystem of maritime innovation and business acceleration. i4sea was one of 20 startups around the world – and the only one from Latin America - selected to develop pilot projects with maritime market leaders including Inmarsat.
Headquartered in Salvador, Brazil and with offices in São Paulo, Shanghai and London, i4sea will provide a high-precision sea and weather forecasting application with up to seven days forecasting in advance through i4cast®’s Atm Ocean® tool.
“As a Certified Application Provider, we will be constantly developing new features to generate increasingly powerful tools for the maritime market,” says i4sea CEO Bruno Balbi. “Working with a company like Inmarsat is really a great deal for i4sea and this is the first smart system that integrates in a single platform, all the essential tools to support decision making regarding vessel’s maneuvers and port terminal’s operations,” he said.
Six integrated tools are offered and includes services such as ocean and weather hyperlocal forecasts, dynamic draft prediction, terminal efficiency analytics and analysis and prediction of siltation or erosion dynamics of the seabed.
“We are delighted to be working with such an innovative start-up such as i4Sea, a company we worked with as part of the Portuguese Bluetech accelerator programme earlier this year,” said Marco Cristoforo Camporeale, Head of Digital Solutions, Inmarsat Maritime. “
“This tie-up will allow ship operators and managers to both route plan and improve terminal efficiency and this is all achieved through the i4sea application on Fleet Data and via a secure platform that is fully scalable, fleet-wide and now commercially available on both Fleet Xpress and FleetBroadband,” says Mr Camporeale.
Currently, i4sea's clients include Brazilian companies such as TECON Salvador (Wilson, Sons), Açu Petróleo, CSN Coal and Ore Terminal, Cotegipe Port, Bahia’s Maritime Authority, Itajaí Port, Enseada, among others. There are also international contracts with the ports of Leixões and Sines, in Portugal.
About i4sea
i4sea is a company founded by oceanographers with a clear purpose: eliminate uncertainties related to the impact of nature on the economy. The company took advantage of their +10 years of experience on operational oceanography and naval engineering to develop i4cast®: a smart system that supports decision-making by monitoring and predicting ocean and weather conditions and their influences on each vessel operation in port areas.
About Inmarsat
Inmarsat is the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications. It owns and operates the world’s most diverse global portfolio of mobile telecommunications satellite networks, and holds a multi-layered, global spectrum portfolio, covering L-band, Ka-band and S-band, enabling unparalleled breadth and diversity in the solutions it provides. Inmarsat’s long-established global distribution network includes not only the world’s leading channel partners but also its own strong direct retail capabilities, enabling end to end customer service assurance. The company has an unrivalled track record of operating the world’s most reliable global mobile satellite telecommunications networks, sustaining business and mission critical safety & operational applications for 40 years. It is also a major driving force behind technological innovation in mobile satellite communications, sustaining its leadership through a substantial investment and a powerful network of technology and manufacturing partners.
