SMM 2026 was, as ever, vast, busy and rather hard on the feet. Travelling from Hall B6 to A4, via a conference room in B4, felt less like attending an exhibition and more like joining the annual migration of the wildebeest. More than 50,000 visitors and 2,300 exhibitors descended on Hamburg to discuss everything from alternative fuels to autonomous vessels.
For maritime connectivity, the most important development was not another antenna or headline download speed. It was the growing recognition that high speed connectivity is only one component of a much wider digital infrastructure.
Starlink is staying but direct contracts may not
Starlink has transformed maritime connectivity, delivering high speeds, low latency and simple hardware at prices that forced established operators and service providers to rethink their propositions. Yet conversations at SMM suggested that the market is entering a second phase.
A growing number of shipping companies are reconsidering whether they want to manage Starlink directly. They are not necessarily abandoning it. Instead, they are placing Starlink inside managed packages delivered by maritime service providers. Service providers do deliver a lot of value, and sometimes a much better price.
Oldendorff Carriers provides a useful example. It has expanded its relationship with Marlink to integrate Starlink across more than 80 owned vessels. Marlink will provide a shared pool of Starlink capacity alongside existing GEO VSAT and mobile satellite service backup. Starlink remains important, but Marlink now manages the network, allocates capacity and provides support.
Pour faire simple, as Marlink’s Paris office might say, Starlink has not been thrown overboard. It has been invited back aboard with adult supervision.
That reflects the operational reality for larger fleets. Someone must prioritise business applications, protect the network, support crews and provide an alternative when one connection fails. This becomes particularly important when capacity is managed through a pooled fleet agreement.
Eutelsat OneWeb was represented mainly through service providers rather than a major standalone launch. Its most significant recent maritime win was CMA CGM’s decision to deploy OneWeb across more than 300 vessels through Marlink and evaluate it alongside Starlink. OneWeb remains much smaller in maritime, but it is gaining more relevance by the month, as a secure European alternative for fleets seeking network diversity.
Shortly after SMM, Eutelsat ordered another 229 OneWeb satellites from Airbus for EUR 1 billion.
Digitalisation becomes infrastructure
SMM also showed that shipping companies are moving beyond collections of separate applications towards connected vessel environments. Discussions covered vessel data, cloud platforms, performance monitoring, emissions reporting, remote support and artificial intelligence. See our latest report on smart shipping for further analysis.
Cybersecurity is becoming inseparable from connectivity. Marlink launched an operational technology security offering for onboard industrial systems, while Navarino introduced Ozora with Palo Alto Networks. Ozora combines firewall protection, SentinelOne endpoint detection and round the clock monitoring within a managed maritime cybersecurity service.
Inmarsat Maritime launched its Maritime Safety Data Hub, combining three years of GMDSS distress calls with more than 106,000 safety broadcasts from 2025. NexusWave remained its main connectivity proposition, combining Ka band, LEO, coastal LTE and L band resilience in one managed service. Its subsequent Bureau Veritas cyber approval reinforced the same message: owners increasingly expect providers to manage network complexity and security, not simply supply bandwidth.
The hardware market is evolving
Intellian presented GEO and LEO terminals, GMDSS equipment and dual use communication systems. Cobham Satcom also highlighted its work on low profile flat panel antennas using active electronically scanned array technology. The longer-term goal is a terminal capable of connecting across GEO, MEO and LEO networks without filling the upper deck with white domes.
Flat panels still face challenges involving cost, power, heat and performance at low elevation angles. Their inclusion in Cobham’s portfolio nevertheless shows that established maritime manufacturers now regard electronically steered antennas as an important part of future multi orbit connectivity.
Price remains the elephant on the bridge
Starlink’s official maritime service currently starts at roughly $1,300 per month for a 1 TB data package, although costs vary with priority allowances and usage. During SMM, maritime providers were warned of a possible increase by December 2026, believed to be around 50 per cent. No major commercial maritime increase has been confirmed publicly, so the claim should be treated cautiously.
Even so, shipowners should consider what happens if prices rise after Starlink becomes embedded in crew welfare, cloud applications and daily operations. The possibility strengthens the case for combining Starlink with GEO VSAT, OneWeb, L band and terrestrial services.
Direct to device enters the conversation
The next disruption may come from direct to device satellite services. AST SpaceMobile is developing a network designed to connect ordinary smartphones directly to satellites without specialist terminals or applications. Wider United States service is now expected from 2027 after a slower deployment than originally anticipated.
Direct to device will not replace vessel broadband used for cloud services, video calls or remote maintenance. Its first maritime impact is more likely to involve crew messaging, emergency communications, fishing, leisure vessels and basic asset monitoring. Over time, however, it could reduce demand for some dedicated terminals and bring mobile operators more directly into maritime communications.
The takeaway from Hamburg is that maritime connectivity is growing up. Starlink began the latest revolution. The next phase will be decided by the providers that can manage its complexity while integrating the networks and technologies that follow.
Finally, I wanted to say thank you to all the companies that undertook meetings, speculation and coffee catch up with me. As always, it’s a pleasure to see everyone in person and generally talk about the industry.
Follow Valour Consultancy’s maritime research for regular updates.
