Starlink Maritime
SpaceX low-earth-orbit broadband; offers high bandwidth at sea but is not yet GMDSS-recognised.
In practice
Rapid adoption since 2023; crew bandwidth jumps from MB/day to 100+ Mbps. Most operators retain Inmarsat / Iridium for GMDSS while using Starlink for non-safety traffic.
Regulatory detail & full definition
SpaceX low-earth-orbit broadband service launched commercially for maritime in 2022. Starlink delivers throughput of 100+ Mbit/s with low latency (~30 ms) at price points well below traditional VSAT, prompting rapid adoption in cruise, offshore, and merchant fleets. Coverage relies on satellite densities in each operating region; polar coverage is limited. Starlink is not currently IMO-recognised for GMDSS distress alerting; operators retain Inmarsat-C or Iridium GMDSS for distress and use Starlink for non-safety operational and crew communications. The service is recovering ROI within 6–18 months for most operators.
Related
Source: Starlink Maritime service description
High confidence
Editorial confidence: how we grade.