Dunlap Towing opts for Fleet One for coverage in remote areas

JULY 13, 2017 — LaConner, WA, headquartered Dunlap Towing Company is to install Inmarsat Fleet One across its 12 vessel fleet.

For Dunlap, the Dutch Harbor and Pacific Coast routes in Alaskan waters have traditionally been challenging and its existing service did not offer the reliability required to transmit important operating and safety reports, communicate back to shore or make critical inter-fleet voice calls. The company needed a service that could accommodate its coastal requirements and support its longer open water routes providing a reliable, guaranteed connection.

After an initial consultation, satellite communications solution provider Network Innovations was able to assess Dunlap’s requirements and present Inmarsat’s Fleet One Service with Cobham’s Fleet One hardware.

With Fleet One, says Inmarsat, regional vessel operators can stay connected without having to worry about cellular coverage or network roaming charges. Fleet One is based on Inmarsat’s I-4 satellite L-band satellite network, delivering 99.9% network availability.

Fleet One offers a range of plans and options and Dunlap selected the Pacific Northwest Regional Plan as a cost-effective option that would allow the tug fleets to talk vessel-to-vessel for up to 30-minutes for free plus the ability to have coverage in the open sea.

Utilizing Fleet One, Dunlap has eliminated the patchy coverage on all of its operating routes from Hawaii to the Aleutian Islands. Now its vessels can reliably access full-color weather images, navigational charts and routing information, as well as sending/receiving reports, browsing the web, send/receive emails, text and talk close to shore and at sea.

With Inmarsat’s free 505 Emergency Calling service included, Fleet One provides an additional level of safety for its crew.

“Since we have started using Fleet One, our tugs are able to travel to remote areas without interruptions, our monthly bills have been cut in half, dropped calls and missing reports don’t happen anymore,” said Jack Sanford, Inside Operations Manager, Dunlap Towing Company.

“Because of our strong partner relationships in the North West Pacific region, my local dealer was able to connect Network Innovations to Dunlap allowing us to provide a perfect solution that not only supports their business today, but well into the future” said Matt George, Vice President Global Maritime Sales, Network Innovations. “Fleet One and the Pacific Northwest Plan work together allowing companies like Dunlap to expand their businesses, routes, and services knowing their communication technologies are supported by strong, experienced partners.”