Elcome and MTN, two companies, announced their selection as authorized distribution agents for the LEO satellite constellation Amazon is deploying.

Amazon Leo is building a network of thousands of low earth orbit satellites to provide low-latency, high-bandwidth connectivity.

"This agreement advances the goal of providing global, scalable, and future-ready connectivity for the maritime industry," said Jimmy Grewal, chief executive officer of Elcome. "Amazon Leo technology will help transform how vessels communicate, operate, and connect with shore-based systems."

Elcome will provide Amazon Leo services to fleets operating on major global shipping routes through Leo Pro and Leo Ultra terminals.

Trevor Vieweg, Amazon Leo's global business head, stated, "Through this agreement, Elcome will provide the connectivity modern maritime operations demand. Offshore customers can operate critical technologies using antenna systems designed for harsh marine environments."

MTN also announced it will offer Amazon Leo services across various maritime sectors.

"Becoming an authorized Amazon Leo agent allows us to maintain our position in satellite technology innovation as we expand our multi-platform network architecture," said Steve Ritacco, senior vice president of technology and product development at MTN. "Integrating this new constellation enables us to design flexible network solutions, ensuring continuous, high-performance service, even in the most extreme environments."

According to Vieweg, the agreement with MTN will benefit global maritime operations. "Thanks to the low-latency satellite network, maritime customers will have real-time communication capabilities, from improving crew welfare to vessel tracking, remote diagnostics, and integration with shore-based systems."

Amazon Leo enters the low earth orbit satellite market alongside other providers such as Starlink and OneWeb. Elon Musk's Starlink has been rapidly adopted by maritime businesses since early 2023 due to its high speed and lower costs compared to traditional geostationary satellites, serving both crew welfare and business operations.

Amazon Leo indicated that during initial testing, download speeds could reach 1 Gbps and upload speeds 400 Mbps; however, results depend on weather, geographical location, network congestion, and other technical factors.

The Dan (according to Seatrade Maritime News)