Telkom Indonesia's satellite subsidiary Telkomsat said that it is partnering with vertical services firm Bhinneka Nusantara Mandiri (BNM) to use capacity from the new Merah Putih 2 satellite to accelerate digital transformation in the maritime sector.
According to Telkomsat, Indonesia's maritime sector has struggled to embrace the digital transformation initiatives seen in other industries. In essence, limited satellite capacity and unstable connectivity have hampered the ability of fishing boats and commercial vessels to leverage reliable, real-time connectivity services.
Telkomsat and BNM aim to solve this problem via a collaborative project billed “Pinisi”, created under a master service agreement (MSA) signed on Friday. Pinisi will utilise two new Telkomsat services – "Mangoes Maritim" and "Mangoes Nelayan" – that are specifically designed to provide connectivity solutions for maritime customers via Merah Putih 2’s High Throughput Satellite (HTS) technology.
The Merah Putih 2 satellite – launched in February this year – is designed with a capacity of up to 32 Gbps across C-band and Ku-band frequencies that cover all of Indonesia, including maritime areas that have so far largely relied on foreign satellite services.
The Pinisi project also includes development of AI-based solutions to increase operational efficiency for ships and reduce opex. For example, Pinisi will leverage BNM's fuel monitoring system to help maritime companies monitor fuel consumption more accurately and in real time.
Telkomsat president director Lukman Hakim Abd Rauf said this will also encourage development of local innovations to help Indonesia’s maritime companies compete globally.
"We are sure this will have a significant impact on ship owners, fishermen, business people in the maritime sector, and regulators," he said in a statement.