SpeedCast International Limited, the Australia-headquartered global satellite communications and network service provider, has announced its acquisition of WINS Limited which it describes as a leading European provider of innovative broadband satellite communications and IT solutions for the maritime sector.

WINS provides services to over 100 passenger carrying vessels such as cruise liners and ferries and more than 2,000 merchant shipping vessels with a portfolio of VSAT, L-Band, Accounting Authority Services and International Maritime GSM services. SpeedCast says the combination of its existing unrivaled global service and operational network and WINS’ strong establishment in the European market will enable SpeedCast to grow its business rapidly in this exciting market.

Tony Mejlaq, Chairman and CEO of WINS said, “We founded WINS with a vision of connecting users in any location, no matter how remote. Becoming part of the SpeedCast family enables us to join a group with real international connections, providing us with access to new markets.”

On the same day, SpeedCast also announced that it has partnered with DH-INTERCOM, a subsidiary of Eutelsat Communications, which is based in Germany and provides communications and IT services to the maritime industry, to offer global Ku-band satellite broadband services to a fleet of 50 vessels sailing worldwide.

DHI will leverage SpeedCast’s global satellite infrastructure to provide high speed, high-throughput connectivity to its customer, who wish to offer crew access to Internet services, as well as gain greater efficiency on the vessels via remote monitoring and operation applications.

By Jake Frith