Working in the Industry: Superyacht Connectivity Trends and Challenges

A Q&A with our Business Development Executive Danny Creedon

The superyacht industry is ever evolving, with cutting edge innovation and high investment. We spoke to our Business Development Executive, Danny Creedon, who has been part of the OceanWeb team since 2019, about the latest trends, challenges and exciting advancements shaping the future of superyacht connectivity.

Q: What are the biggest changes you are seeing in client demands in terms of onboard tech and connectivity? 

Danny: “The biggest shift we are seeing from a client demand perspective is the increased need for more data, faster speeds, and, crucially, greater flexibility. When I first joined the company in 2019, the industry was still heavily reliant on geo-satellite connectivity, through VSAT, which offers reliable speeds but comes with limitations and drawbacks. For example, data through VSAT is expensive, and latency is high, making real-time applications such as video conferencing and streaming unreliable (and very expensive!).

The more recent emergence of Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites has been a game-changer. To provide a very basic explanation, these satellites are closer to the earth, which means latency is reduced, speed is increased, and greater coverage is possible at the fraction of the cost of VSAT.”

Q: What is your favourite part about working in the Superyacht industry? 

Danny: “One of my favourite parts is the opportunity to attend yacht shows around the world. It allows me to stay at the forefront of the latest technology in the industry, as I get to catch up with clients, suppliers and lots of other industry professionals. The industry is very dynamic, and things are constantly evolving which keeps me challenged and motivated. It’s always super rewarding to receive an email from a satisfied client who has enjoyed seamless connectivity during a guest or owner trip.”

Q: What are the latest trends in the superyacht IT space? 

Danny: “As mentioned above LEO services are a hot topic, with Starlink and OneWeb being the two current buzzwords. These services combined with bonding solutions are having a huge impact on the IT space. By combining the strengths of different network sources, such as LEO and 4G, you can create an unbreakable and seamless connection for the end user. We achieve this by providing bonding equipment such as Pepwave’s Balance range of routers and apply SpeedFusion bandwidth bonding services. With these technological advancements there really has been a shift in attitudes towards connectivity at sea. It has evolved from being seen as a luxury, to now becoming an essential for everyone on board.”

Q: What are the specific challenges related to implementing IT solutions in the marine industry? 

Danny: “A challenge a lot of yachts have is keeping pace with the fast-moving advancements in IT and ensuring onboard systems are utilising the latest technology. A lot of work now goes into ensuring that systems are future proofed. A second challenge, that we play a key role in addressing, is onboard bandwidth management. Bandwidth needs to be carefully distributed to various groups, with different priority levels. This often involves implementing VLANs (virtual LANs) to the yacht’s network to allocate specific bandwidth and resources. For example, the ‘owner network VLAN’, would be prioritised to get the fastest and most reliable internet source when the owner is on board.”

Q: How do you keep yourself informed about the latest developments in the IT superyacht industry? 

Danny: “I actively follow industry leaders, publications, and tech companies on social media platforms to stay up to date on the latest industry news. My attendance at events such as the yacht shows is very helpful, as it provides an opportunity to speak with industry connections on the latest developments. Lastly, we do a lot of internal knowledge sharing at OceanWeb. Our engineers are very passionate about technology, actively conducting research and are eager to provide the latest technical updates!”

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