Mobile communication technology is offering
business critical services toStena
Bulk, an oil transportation
company.
The shipping company is part of Stena AB, a global giant of
shipping, real estate, metal trading and recycling and waste
management.
Klas Eskilsson, head of Stena Bulk USA, said the company's 35
tankers, which carry up to 1 million barrels of oil, depend on
technology. "If communications with the ships break down they
cannot tell them where to go so it would be devastating if there
was downtime for a couple of hours."
The company's US office, which controls the ships and their
valuable cargo, has only only a handful of people operating
critical communications technology. "What is interesting about the
US office is we only have 20 people but what they do is so vital,"
said Eskilsson.
He said one missed delivery will cost millions of pounds, so the
company considers its technology carefully.
"We think
strategically about IT. Although most shipping companies use
the same communications technology we try to be at the forefront,"
added Esklisson.
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