High priced communication accidents on Inmarsat Fleet 77 equipped vessel

Please pay attention to the recent increased high priced communication accidents on Inmarsat Fleet 77 equipped vessel.

As we have reminded in the past, Fleet 77 has the following communication risks.

(1)Owing to the main unit of communication equipment does not have filter function, WEB use by direct connection of PC is unpreventable.

(2)When used incorrectly by ISDN connection, communication costs of USD15~20 per minute will be incurred. When mistaken for Mobile Packet Data Services (MPDS) and leave it connected, the charged amount will be more than USD 20,000 in a day.

(3)When changed mistakenly to ground based station, 3~10 times the usual rate will be incurred.

Please pay attention, especially on the above mentioned (2) this time. 

Owing to the widespread of Fleet Broadband use, the captain assumes that data communication is to remain connected which consequently will make accidents the above mentioned (2) easier.

Furthermore, Fleet 77 MPDS communication service will be terminated at the end of this year and only ISDN communication service will be available. Please note on this point as well.

For the above mentioned reasons, there is a great risk in using Fleet 77 for data communication backup. 

We have deactivated Fleet 77 data ID and recommend taking measures only for fax and telephone backups. As for data communication backup, please consider SAILOR 150 Fleet Broadband and Iridium.

Please kindly find the attachment of risk assessment report regarding Fleet 77 for your reference.

If there is anything unclear regarding data communications infrastructure of each vessel and construction of backup line, please feel free to contact us.