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20 st / May 2016 www.sea-technology.com Real-Time Reporting at Sea Ifremer (the French Research Institute for the Ex- ploitation of the Sea) designs and implements tools for ocean observation, experimentation and monitor- ing, and manages oceanographic databases. Since last spring, Ifremer has conducted several test campaigns with the NeptuLink modem: in the Bay of Toulon, Brittany, Ouistreham, Brest, Saint-Nazaire, Saint-Quay-Portrieux, and during coastal data collection campaigns from the English Channel to the Atlantic. These various campaigns confrmed the utility of NeptuLink, with highly satisfac- tory connectivity in comparison to the systems previously tested on the Ifremer feet. Another area where NeptuLink is proving benefcial is during surveys at sea. NeptuLink enables companies conducting oceanographic, hydrographic or geophysical surveys to send reports from marine sites back to shore. iXSurvey contacted MVG in March 2015 to test the technology, which has enabled Internet access on three of their ships, making it possible to email daily re- ports and data sets to shore for processing. The ships work along the coast, always within the limits of a traditional 3G mo- dem. A test on a preproduction modem was conducted in the English Channel, off of Caen in the Baie de la Seine. This helped validate improvements in data transmission, without incurring higher costs. Three other tests were conducted with the same lev- el of satisfaction along the Belgian, Danish and German coasts, with NeptuLink running with prepaid SIM cards. Industry Reception NeptuLink has been very well received by the industry. The expectation for instant communication regardless of location in today's world is now a priority, and NeptuLink is meeting that need. Its versatility means that it is suitable for ship builders, tug boats, dredge boats and fshing ves- sels. NeptuLink has already been awarded two prizes for innovation in France, issued by the Prix Compétitivité mécénat Banexi Ventures and by the Grand Prix Images & Réseaux mécénat Bpifrance. Part of the success of NeptuLink has been the partner- ships with and input from industry professionals. For in- stance, MVG has recently sponsored four European sailing regattas: the Corsica Classic, Tour de Bretagne à la Voile, Record SNSM and TOWT, for which NeptuLink provided Internet access for live news feeds from boats. Next Steps NeptuLink, while new on the market, is experienc- ing growing interest from ship builders, fshery associa- tions and the SNSM, a charity that saves lives at sea along French coasts. In September 2015, we launched Neptu- Link in the U.S. market, where connection is achieved via LTE bands (2, 4, 5, 13, 17 and 25). The coming months will see plans for an upgraded ver- sion of NeptuLink that will have a new design dedicated to sailboats and yachts with embedded Wi-Fi and the lat- est advances in technology. ST Romain Butet has worked for MVG for 10 years, frst as an R&D; engineer and now as a technical sales engineer. Elements of testing were completed in- house, but the majority was completed at sea. Part of the testing was done in Brest Harbor, France. Other testing involved in- stallation on a set of security boats during the transatlantic Route du Rhum race, which took place in November 2014 at Saint-Ma- lo, France. This multi-installation testing in- volved rescue boats from the Société Natio- nale de Sauvetage en Mer (SNSM), French Navy and Maritime Gendarmerie equipped with HD video cameras to provide live video of the race start line to the race headquarters to ensure the security of all par- ticipants. This testing demonstrated the full capabilities of NeptuLink and its ability to stream live video and com- munications seamlessly while at sea. We have also worked with professional skippers such as Eric Defert and sailing race organizers for the Tour de Bretagne à la Voile and the Corsica Classic to test Neptu- Link's Internet connection throughout these races. Other tests were also conducted on a wide variety of vessels, including a scientifc vessel and a ferry. The reports from testing showed a marked improvement in the level of Internet connectivity on board. Streamlining Ship-to-Shore Communication Les Pilotes de la Loire is a port service involving a group of seafarers who guide ships into the ports around the Loire and the port of Nantes-Saint-Nazaire, ensuring navigation safety, maneuvering and communication with port authori- ties, maritime traffc services, tugs and other vessels. They had been in search of a reliable Internet connection alterna- tive with good value for the money, and in March 2015 they approached MVG about NeptuLink to discuss the possibil- ity of a test run before purchasing. Les Pilotes de la Loire had MVG use one vessel to conduct a test on board for an entire afternoon, with SIM cards from two different carriers. The test was successful, and Les Pilotes de la Loire placed an order. Having Internet access on their vessel enables access to a list of the ships scheduled to leave the port via the continu- ously updated data provided by a dockside traffc pilot. For the crew, who are sometimes offshore for weeks at a time, it provides the ability to run maintenance software and communicate from the vessel through Wi-Fi calls and emails. This helps the channels of communication to remain open from ship to shore. (Top) The 4G NeptuLink modem. (Bottom) Nep- tuLink installed on a ferry to streamline ship-to- shore communication channels.