As maritime operations become increasingly digital and connected, reliable satellite communications have become a cornerstone of safe, efficient, and secure vessel operations. From enabling real-time data exchange and supporting crew welfare to protecting critical onboard systems against evolving cyber threats, advanced connectivity solutions are transforming the way the maritime industry operates.
In this interview, Reema Omari, CEO of Universal Satcom shares with Robban Assafina, how the company’s hybrid, multi-orbit satellite communication solutions are helping shipowners and operators overcome connectivity challenges at sea.
Can you provide an overview of Universal Satcom and explain how its solutions are specifically designed to meet the demands of the maritime industry?
Universal Satcom was founded in 2014 with one clear goal: to bridge the connectivity gap in the world’s most demanding environments across land, aviation, and maritime sectors. When it comes to the maritime industry, we don’t just offer generic internet, we engineer complete, next-generation network ecosystems. What makes us unique is our “agnostic, multi-orbit hybrid network approach”.
We don't tie a vessel to just one satellite fleet. Instead, we combine the massive throughput of global operators like “SES” and traditional Ku-band VSAT with Eutelsat OneWeb's Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation, giving fleets fiber-like speeds and ultra-low latency under 32ms.
To ensure absolute reliability, we layer this with an automated L-band backup system and our own custom “onboard cybersecurity architecture”. This ensures that whether a commercial fleet is crossing the Atlantic or navigating a remote shipping lane, they have blistering speeds, zero down-time, and enterprise-grade data protection.
How does Universal Satcom adapt its services to accommodate maritime clients with diverse operational needs? Are there any upcoming projects or strategic partnerships you can share?
We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach because a luxury yacht has completely different operational needs than a massive commercial container fleet. We adapt our services by scaling bandwidth and customizing packages based on exact operational data. For example, some clients only need basic vessel tracking, while others require massive pipelines to handle real-time cloud data, video conferencing, and automated IoT sensor monitoring.
What truly makes us agile is our proprietary “BSS (Business Support Systems) portal”. Instead of clients having to call a help desk and wait days to change their service plans, our automated platform allows them to dynamically provision, monitor, and blend their capacities instantly.
Cybersecurity is increasingly critical, how does Universal Satcom integrate robust security measures into its satellite communication solutions for vessels?
Cybersecurity isn't something we just patch on at the end, we treat it as a foundational layer of the connectivity we offer. When we deploy a multi-operator network on a vessel, we secure it through a multi-layered defense strategy designed specifically for mixed LEO, global GEO, and regional satellite infrastructure.
First, we enforce “strict network segmentation”. We completely isolate critical bridge navigation systems and operational machinery from crew Wi-Fi. That way, if a crew member downloads a compromised file on their personal device, the threat is trapped and cannot migrate to the ship's control systems.
Second, because LEO networks like OneWeb and global high-throughput fleets like Eutelsat handle massive amounts of real-time cloud traffic, we install “Next-Gen Firewalls” at the terminal level and enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Finally, we run automated traffic monitoring. If our system detects an anomalous data spike or unauthorized port activity on any of our links, whether it's on ku VSAT link, or an LEO line, it flags it instantly so our team can mitigate the threat before it touches vessel operations.
How vulnerable is the maritime sector to cyber threats, in your view, and how do you see these risks shaping the future of the industry?
In my view, the maritime sector is incredibly vulnerable right now, and the risks are evolving fast. Historically, ships were isolated floating islands using simple, unencrypted radios. Today, they are essentially floating data centers relying on cloud logistics, automated port systems, and high-speed multi-orbit internet. This rapid digitalization has outpaced security, and because most ships don't carry an IT specialist on board, they’ve become prime targets for ransomware, malware, and even GPS spoofing.
At Universal Satcom, we are driving the future by embedding AI-driven, automated threat detection directly into our hybrid satellite terminals, ensuring that high-speed multi-operator data doesn't come at the cost of network vulnerability.
What systems or processes does Universal Satcom have in place to provide real-time support and ensure reliable communications for vessels operating in remote or challenging environments?
Operating in remote or challenging environments means that when something goes wrong, you can’t just send a technician down the street. To ensure reliable communications, we’ve built a multi-layered support engine.
It starts with our “24/7 technical help desk”, which is fully staffed by specialized satellite and IP routing engineers who monitor our global networks around the clock. If a vessel experiences severe weather or rain fade on their primary high-speed LEO or GEO link, our hardware features an intelligent “failover architecture”. The network automatically shifts traffic over to our regional GEO fallbacks, or highly resilient L-band and LEO networks, without dropping a single packet.
We also rely on “predictive maintenance”. Our systems monitor the health and alignment of the onboard terminal; if we spot a minor signal degradation, we alert the crew to adjust it “before” an actual outage occurs. And if physical hardware ever breaks, we have a “global network of certified field technicians” stationed at major ports worldwide, ready to board the ship and fix the issue the moment it docks.
Reema Omari
Could you outline your disaster recovery services and explain how they help maritime businesses navigate unexpected disruptions?
Our disaster recovery services are all about guaranteeing business continuity and minimizing expensive downtime. In shipping, every hour a vessel is out of contact can cost thousands of dollars. If a ship suffers a worst-case scenario, like a severe cyber-attack or physical damage to its main terminal, our recovery plan swings into action. We maintain “secure cloud data backups” that routinely sync critical ship logs, navigation profiles, and cargo manifests from ship to shore.
Because we leverage a flexible, multi-orbit, multi-operator network, we have immense redundancy. If the main GEO network goes completely dark, we can immediately re-route and re-provision bandwidth to alternative satellite beams, whether via “LEO orbital satellites or L-Band backups.”
By having these pre-configured restore points and alternative communication paths ready to go, we can get a maritime business back online and coordinating with their supply chain in a matter of hours, rather than days.
What are the most significant challenges in delivering satellite communications to maritime operations, and how does Universal Satcom overcome them?
Delivering reliable satellite communication at sea is incredibly challenging because you’re dealing with a mix of extreme physics, harsh environments, and severe digital threats.
Our first big challenge is “vessel motion and latency”. A ship pitching and rolling in a storm makes it very hard to keep a satellite dish pointed precisely at a target. We overcome this by partnering with “Intellian” to deploy advanced, stabilized tracking antennas that can lock onto fast-moving LEO constellations like OneWeb as well as stationary GEO networks.
Another issue is “line-of-sight blockages” caused by the ship’s own cranes or superstructures, or simple geographical blind spots. We solve this by using our diverse multi-operator network. If a vessel loses a global beam, we can dynamically switch them to a global powerhouse like “SES, Eutelsat”, Asia sat and other major satellite operators ensuring the terminal always has an alternative line of sight.
Finally, there’s the challenge of “cyber vulnerability and bandwidth management”. Background updates on phones can easily hog data, and open networks invite cyber threats. We use smart data filtering and strict “Quality of Service (QoS) rules” to prioritize mission-critical navigation and operational data over casual browsing, while keeping a hardened cybersecurity perimeter around the entire shipboard network.
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To read the full content, click on the following link: Robban Assafina, Issue 103, July/Sep 2026, Maritime Host, pg. 70 |
