2 Years of Starlink at Sea: Lessons, Challenges & What’s Next

The Marpoint webinar, "Maritime Operations & Crew Welfare in the LEO Age," brought together industry experts to reflect on four years of Starlink’s impact on maritime operations. Leaders from Navarone SA, Ionic Shipping, Interunity Management Corporation SA, and Ionia Management SA, shared firsthand insights on how LEO connectivity has transformed fleet operations, cybersecurity, and crew welfare—while also introducing new challenges.

Key Takeaways: What We’ve Learned

🚢 Operations Have Been Revolutionized According to Kostas Sakellakos (Navarone SA) and Andreas Polidis (Ionic), Starlink has turned vessels into fully connected branch offices, slashing support response times, streamlining IoT integration, and enabling real-time data transfer at an unprecedented scale.

🛡 Cybersecurity: A Double-Edged Sword With great bandwidth comes great responsibility. Andreas Polidis highlighted that while continuous system monitoring and fast updates have strengthened cybersecurity, shadow IT, crew interference, and cyber threats have also escalated.

👥 Crew Welfare: A Game Changer The impact on crew well-being, retention, and morale has been unmatched. Natasa Traikapi (Interunity Management) and Tania Sardidou (Ionia Management) emphasized how better connectivity has improved mental health, entertainment, and training opportunities, making reliable internet a non-negotiable expectation for today’s seafarers.

⚠️ New Challenges & Industry Response The rapid adoption of Starlink has created unexpected hurdles, from crew distractions to unauthorized personal Starlink installations. To maintain control, companies have responded with smarter network management policies, cybersecurity training, and advanced solutions such as Marpoint’s EVO3 platform.

📡 The Future: What Comes Next? Vasileios Tsialtas (Laskaridis Maritime SA) highlighted that traditional satellite providers are stepping up their game, improving services in response to Starlink’s dominance. Meanwhile, concerns over Starlink’s potential monopoly and geopolitical risks have fueled discussions about hybrid connectivity models, which combine Starlink, VSAT, and 5G to build resilient, cost-effective maritime networks.

Final Thoughts

Connectivity at sea is no longer just about better internet speeds—it’s about reshaping maritime operations, crew expectations, and cybersecurity strategies. The industry must adapt policies, security frameworks, and training to make the most of these advancements while managing new risks.

🚀 Missed the webinar? Watch the Full Recording https://bit.ly/41EN2g2

Stay tuned for the next one as we continue shaping the future of maritime IT & connectivity!