Rivertech provides a comprehensive package of fleet management services in the river cruise industry. For onboard IT management, they collaborate closely with Wireless Logic, ensuring that the ships are equipped with reliable and affordable connectivity, among other services. This is a critical requirement for a seamless and secure operation and an optimal traveller experience.
Background
Rivertech is a leading provider of nautical and technical management for luxury river cruise ships. With over 15 years of experience and a team of over 400 professionals, Rivertech offers high-quality and reliable services to prominent international tour operators. These services encompass various essential aspects of river cruising, such as:
- Nautical management: ensuring smooth operational processes, including berth reservations, route planning, certification, ship administration, and safety procedures.
- Technical management: maintaining the technical integrity of the ship, including maintenance, repairs, and inspections. Rivertech’s personnel support the onboard crew, both remotely and on-site.
- ICT management: handling the digitalization and automation of specific maritime processes. They also provide monitoring systems for 24/7 supervision and internet and infotainment services. Reliable and affordable connectivity is a fundamental requirement in this regard.
Rivertech provides nautical and technical management for Rijfers Nautical Management (RNM), a river cruise company with nine ships. The ICT management is handled by Wireless Logic, which collaborates closely with Rivertech and RNM, serving clients like Phoenix and SAGA, among others. Marianne Hendriks, managing director at Rivertech, and Jan Willem de Jong, general manager at RNM, explain the partnership with Wireless Logic.
The Challenge
Demanding Guests
The river cruise industry is a rapidly growing market. Marianne Hendriks, Managing Director at Rivertech, says, “More and more vacationers are discovering this luxurious and relaxed way to explore Europe by ship. In recent years, there have been many developments in this market. Ships have become larger, but more importantly, they have become more luxurious. At the same time, guests have become more demanding, especially regarding their connection with the outside world. Guests expect strong Wi-Fi to be a standard offering without paying a premium.”
Optimal Experience
Furthermore, many processes on board are highly automated, and there is a strong dependency on systems and equipment that must communicate optimally, internally and with the outside world, to ensure a seamless operation. An example is access control, which allows for checking who is on board using digital access cards. Such systems must work flawlessly, not only for onboard security but also for providing an optimal experience for guests. Guests on board are generally older, making the likelihood of a medical incident somewhat more probable, so maintaining contact with emergency services must always be possible. Finally, the crew is on board for extended periods and wants to stay connected with their loved ones back home.
Pressure on Connectivity
This places significant pressure on the IT environment and connectivity in particular. “Especially when you consider that a ship cannot rely on a thick fibre optic cable as a backbone,” explains Jan Willem de Jong, Operations Manager at RNM. “Everyone and everything depends on mobile services to communicate with the internet, the cloud, and servers and data centers. This should no longer be a problem in today’s age but don’t forget that ships visit different countries, and solutions must be cross-border without the cost of, for example, roaming becoming too high. Furthermore, ships sometimes sail through mountainous areas, leading to poor reception. Weather conditions can also affect the quality of network connections.”
The Solution
Complex Landscape
In this complex landscape, Rivertech is pleased to rely on the services of its partner, Wireless Logic, which provides support for onboard ICT, including connectivity. Devices are equipped with SIM cards and the right subscriptions based on LTE/5G connections. Wireless Logic has partnerships with over 50 mobile networks, allowing them to make choices based on price and quality. This enables ships to connect to the office environment via the cloud (Software as a Service), ensuring seamless infotainment for customers. The onboard Wi-Fi also meets the standards, although streaming movies, for example, is impossible. However, guest surveys indicate that there is little demand for this. Onboard, there are various forms of entertainment available at any time of the day.
Challenging Conditions
Rivertech has been collaborating with Wireless Logic for many years, a company with extensive experience delivering ICT services and connectivity in challenging conditions.
A ship is essentially a floating hotel, and in the first instance, Wireless Logic provides the following:
- Servers
- Maritime-proof hardware (routers en antennas)
- Connectivity
- Infrastructure
- Wifi-network, including access points
- Other hardware, such as PC’s/laptops/printers
Once a ship is delivered, Wireless Logic manages the systems and connectivity. Customers like Rivertech can, if they wish, have direct access to routers or ticketing systems, giving them more control over their IT. The technology partner essentially serves as the linchpin. Suppliers of access control systems, for example, need to communicate with the ICT environment of Wireless Logic.
This experience is very valuable. Wireless Logic knows exactly what we need and can also take proactive measures to prevent downtime or implement innovations. Furthermore, we know that costs remain manageable. In the event of an unexpected issue, the lines of communication are short. We can reach out to dedicated contacts who can respond quickly. This allows us to focus on the nautical processes, knowing that the entire ICT is in trusted hands with Wireless Logic.
The Future
Rivertech aims to continue innovating and enhancing the quality of its services, with a strong focus on the onboard guest experience. The company plans to explore the possibility of equipping a ship currently under construction, the Amina, with satellite connectivity in addition to mobile LTE/5G connectivity. This will create a highly resilient hybrid network that will result in very fast internet connectivity.
"This underscores the collaboration between Rivertech, RNM, and Wireless Logic. We can rely on the current IT and network environment to perform optimally, ensuring business continuity and onboard safety. At the same time, Wireless Logic guides us into the future, and we are exploring innovations together."