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www.sea-technology.com July 2014 / st 45 around the globe. C-band is the most reliable method for communications transmission and is the industry standard for broadcast television, leisure ships and oil and gas platforms around the world, according to Maritime Broadband CEO Mary Ellen Kramer. C-Band has never been an option for wide- scale use in commercial ship- ping because of its high cost. Now, Maritime Broadband's proprietary technology allows C-Bird to deliver the benefts of C-band at an affordable rate for cost-conscious commercial ship owners and managers. The Maritime Broadband C-Bird VSAT antenna was en- gineered and designed to be deployed on a ship without re- quiring a radome—a fberglass covering that typically protects such equipment from being damaged by the marine envi- M aritime Broadband's (Brooklyn, New York) C-Bird VSAT communications system offers a reliable and cost-ef- fective solution that helps the maritime industry deal with two of the biggest challenges in bluewater shipping—crew retention and fuel costs. In the digital age, ships that do not offer personal communications options, such as the Inter- net and Facebook, are challenged to attract and keep crew on board. This is crucial, as the recruitment and training of new onboard personnel represents as much as 10 percent of all shipping frms' nonfuel operating costs. In addition, continuous online connectivity enables route optimization through live weather input and ocean chart updates. Route optimization represents on average a six percent reduc- tion in fuel consumption for a transoceanic voyage, a substantial economic and environmental impact. The C-Bird system, which is designed and built in the United States, enables ship- shore communication for enhanced vessel manage- ment, while allowing crew members to have global In- ternet access and the ability to keep in touch with their loved ones. C-Bird can be assembled on board by the ship's crew using common tools—and without a crane. Once in place, C-Bird offers continuous connectivity at sea. Proprietary Technology The C-Bird VSAT system uses a military-style antenna that operates on the C-band to connect with geosynchro- nous satellites positioned C-Bird VSAT System Links Ship to Shore Communications Tool Lowers Costs and Boosts Crew Moral By Peter Moses (Top) Maritime Broadband's C-Bird was deployed on the Hel- lespont Progress oil tanker in 2009. Ship management and crew report great satisfaction with the system. (Bottom) Crew from the Nordic Aurora oil product tanker ship installed the C-Bird antenna while at port in Amsterdam, Netherlands.