Container shipping on the high seas, and the broader maritime industry, are set to benefit from transformative real-time agentic AI-based connectivity and monitoring capabilities, thanks to a new global partnership between Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) and international IoT service provider Net Feasa.
Secure, carrier-grade 4G/5G connectivity on-board container vessels, delivering agentic AI-ready data, will improve cargo visibility and increase operational efficiency across the maritime industry, regardless of location on the world’s oceans.
Andres Vicente, Head of Southeast Asia, Oceania and India, Ericsson, says: “Maritime operators need secure, reliable connectivity that follows the vessel, wherever it sails. Alongside Net Feasa, we are bringing onboard 4G and 5G cellular networks to the world's container fleets, establishing the foundation for data driven operations and AI enabled services from ship to shore. With container vessels as our starting point, the scope of what we can achieve across the entire global shipping industry is immense. Together, we are shaping the future of connected, intelligent shipping."
Mike Fitzgerald, Chairman and Founder, Net Feasa, says: “Digitalization of the intermodal supply chain is at a tipping point. With the advent of agentic AI, we are gathering data from everything that moves, analyzing and securing this data, and empowering carriers to act on this data across their operations. This landmark partnership has the potential to transform the global maritime industry not just from an operational efficiency perspective but across employee safety, cargo risk reduction and compliance.”
The growth of 5G deployments in major ports has showcased how sea-based supply chain service can benefit from connectivity – whether through smart container fleets or individual vessels at sea. Driven from the maritime hub of Singapore, the Ericsson-Net Feasa partnership will provide vessel owners, shipping companies and port operators with real-time, end-to-end visibility of cargo from the point of departure to the destination port.
The partnership will empower Net Feasa’s Agentic Control Tower, the only platform currently available that enables full visibility of all smart-enabled containers on board, and an agentic AI-ready data layer that enables proactive operations across the supply chain.
The solution, which is already being deployed globally, is designed to easily scale and connect thousands of assets per vessel. This provides shippers with flexible, future-proofed connectivity that can evolve with their digitalization strategy, as the industry matures. Reefer monitoring, dangerous goods handling and early heat detection are some of the use cases already being managed live at sea. The system allows assets to communicate, generating key data needed to act on real-time alerts at any point in a voyage.
Even the smallest of changes in state to the cargo can have implications to the supply chain, so reliable connectivity at sea as well as the analytical capabilities to understand potential consequences of any changes multiplied over long operational periods, can add substantially to efficiency savings or minimize waste or damage in the case of perishable goods.
In addition to the monitoring, handling and detection capabilities already live, the two companies have a roadmap for further use cases including extending connectivity across other types of shipping vessels and into ports – further enabling end-to-end, SIM-managed visibility and data-driven operations across a connected maritime supply chain.
Net Feasa, a fully licensed Mobile Network Operator, deploys and integrates compact, low-footprint radio access solutions on board vessels, minimizing space and power requirements while delivering carrier-grade performance. The solutions are designed to support multiple frequency bands, enabling seamless connectivity across different regions and operating environments.
The onboard networks are built using Ericsson Radio System products, including Radio 4490HP, Radio 2271, the Radio Processor 6355 with enhanced AI capabilities, and Power 6309. Ericsson On-Demand will power carrier-grade 5G core as-a-service with international roaming on a global scale running on public cloud. Backhaul connectivity between the vessels and the core network will be realized using low-earth orbit satellite.
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