Wicklow company wins €500,000 Irish Navy satellite contract
Wicklow company Voyager IP, which is based in Rathnew, and the National Space Centre in Cork are the first All-Irish providers to win a €500,000 contract to provide a satellite communications service to the Irish Naval Fleet at home and abroad.
On Thursday 9th July, 2015, Mr Simon Coveney TD, Minister for Defence, Agriculture, Food and the Marine, officially launched the new service at the National Space Centre’s base at Elfordstown Earthstation in Cork. Voyager IP is providing the satellite airtime, technical assistance for the onboard systems and a 24 hour helpdesk at its base in Broomhill Business Park in Rathnew. The satellite network infrastructure will be handled by the National Space Centre.
The Irish Naval Service has been using satellite communications systems for operational and non-operational purposes for 10 years but up until now, by necessity, it had been managed by overseas providers.
Speaking at the event, Minister Coveney said "It’s great to see Irish companies like Voyager IP and the National Space Centre competing for and winning a contract like this. I wish them well for the future. Both companies will play an important role in supporting the Irish Naval Service with their current humanitarian mission in the Mediterranean.”
Mark Elliott, managing director of Voyager IP, said, “The provision of satellite broadband services at sea is very different from that on land, it’s technically far more challenging as the user is always moving. We saw a gap in the market for a quality full service marine communications provider and set up Voyager IP to meet that demand. We operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year looking after our clients worldwide.”
Commodore Hugh Tully, Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service, said "The Irish Naval Service is delighted to team up with Irish providers for such a vital part of our infrastructure for seagoing communications.”
Voyager IP specializes in maritime satellite communications solutions and support for superyachts, cruise ships, commercial vessels and offshore platforms globally.
