Latvians Debut Revolutionary 5G Maritime Connectivity

Latvian mobile innovator and telco operator LMT, in partnership with Latvian port technical services provider LVR Fleet, recently conducted a successful demonstration of a 5G maritime connectivity concept. This demonstration showcased the seamless 5G network connectivity from shore to ship, between ships, and even between ships and drones. The event took place at the Port of Riga and marked the first known full-scale demonstration of such a solution in the maritime industry.

During the demonstration, the 5G multi-hop principle was highlighted as it facilitated communication between multiple LVR Fleet vessels. A pilot boat named Dore provided stable 5G network connectivity, allowing communication with a Latvian icebreaker ship called Varma. Additionally, a floating drone named Otter transmitted seabed measurements and remote video footage of activities on the water. The established 5G connectivity enabled real-time data transfer on a large scale.

President of LMT, Juris Binde, emphasized the potential of 5G-powered technologies in addressing communication challenges at sea. The deployment of maritime 5G networks and solutions can facilitate fast data transmission in scenarios where large amounts of data need to be sent quickly between ships or from ship to port. The 5G maritime connectivity concept envisions the passing of the 5G network signal from one ship to another, enabling effective shore-to-ship and ship-to-ship communication in the open sea. This concept includes the deployment of a 5G network and base station on the ship, along with short-range networks from land stations and 5G non-terrestrial networks to cover international waters, opening up new possibilities for various 5G use cases.

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