Stuttering Netflix streams, interruptions in WhatsApp calls, and frequently freezing video conference calls are unfortunately not uncommon on superyachts. The demands placed on superyacht AV and IT systems have changed, with more streaming and less consumption of static content, as well as an increased reliance on cloud-based business applications. Among the companies shaping this shift is ONEXP, a boutique integrator specialising in AV, IT, communication and (cyber)security. By combining cutting-edge technology with excellent project management skills, it delivers easy-to-use systems that always work.
Owners and crew nowadays expect connectivity that works all the time, everywhere. That expectation drove ONEXP to specialise in high-performance hybrid systems that blend multiple internet sources into a single, resilient network. By bonding multiple connections - VSAT, 5G, GSM, Starlink and OneWeb - ONEXP delivers a central connection that can self-correct, failover instantly and absorb outages without the user noticing. BOAT sits down with head of technical office Chris Poortvliet, who has had a front-row seat to the biggest communications revolution modern yachting has ever seen.
Superyacht connectivity has undergone more change in the past three years than in the previous three decades. What was once a world of slow, costly and minimal satellite links has transformed into an ecosystem of high-speed, low-latency hybrid networks combining VSAT, 5G and next-generation satellite systems. “Your connection at home is probably a fibre-optic broadband… It’s a single internet connection, always reliable,” Poortvliet begins. “Meanwhile, yachts have been dependent on wireless connectivity for years - options existed, but they were always limited in bandwidth and very costly.”
Today, however, a hybrid era has arrived, powered by intelligent switching, resilient redundancy and cybersecurity frameworks designed to protect the expanding digital footprint of life and operations at sea.
From costly, constrained connections to a fully fused network
Only a few years ago, offshore internet meant slow maritime VSAT, painfully high latency and monthly bills that seemed more like refit budgets. “An average yacht could spend between 20,000 and 50,000 dollars a year on internet connections,” Poortvliet explains. And despite the price tag, service was far from seamless. “We had occasions where the owner wanted to stream a football match, and the only way was to deny internet, or allow minimal usage, on every other device on the yacht.
“The big deal-breaker was Starlink in around 2022 to 2023,” he continues. “Suddenly, you had internet speeds like at home, with very low latency… live conferences without delays, instant social media, Netflix, everything. It completely revolutionised the market.”
Almost overnight, yachts went from scraping together kilobits to managing multiple high-speed Starlink terminals, GSM connections and traditional VSAT simultaneously. This abundance posed the question of how to merge, monitor and intelligently manage these diverse links so the vessel experiences one uninterrupted connection.
The rise of hybrid connectivity
When Starlink hands off between satellites every few minutes, traditionally causing a brief stutter, the hybrid system fills the gap with bandwidth from the other connections. The result is the closest thing yachting has ever had to true “home-grade” internet. “We have good monitoring on all satellite and GSM connections,” notes Poortvliet. “If Starlink fails - and yes, it does sometimes - the system automatically falls back to the other connections. It’s completely seamless.”
This reliability matters not just for owners watching Netflix, but for operational continuity for the crew. Navigation systems, cloud backups, security software, fleet management tools and remote technical support all depend on stable, high-quality connectivity.
Location-based services
As yachts adopt cloud services at scale, digital location can pose challenges. “It’s very important that you find solutions for location-based content,” Poortvliet continues. “If an American owner visits his yacht in Spain, suddenly Netflix thinks he’s in Europe and content changes. Some apps might not even work.”
ONEXP’s partnership with Negu.com allows the yacht’s network to “break out” from the correct region so owners and crew can access their usual content and apps, no matter where the vessel is physically cruising. “It’s a small detail, but incredibly important for user experience,” he says.
Building a cyber-resilient yacht
With everything becoming more connected, cybersecurity has moved from a tick-box to a technical and operational essential. As Poortvliet points out: “While you can connect every system to the internet now, this also brings huge risk, especially when bridge or navigation systems are involved.”
ONEXP structures cybersecurity around three pillars. Firstly, network segmentation. “You keep different types of traffic separate with isolated networks - a guest network, crew network and operational network,” Poortvliet explains. Secondly, advanced security layers, such as firewalls, intrusion detection and anti-malware to protect the internal environment from external threats. And thirdly, sufficient crew training. “We try to educate the crew… the system is theirs. They have ownership. We design it to be understandable and resilient,” says Poortvliet.
A modular approach
As hybrid connectivity becomes the new standard, ONEXP is seeing demand rise from shipyards, refit yards and owners. Every yacht gets a tailor-made but standardised solution. “Technical crew change fast in yachting, sometimes seasonally,” Poortvliet points out. “If we keep systems consistent across projects, it’s easier to support. But everything is modular and based on the client’s needs. There isn’t a single vessel that we do exactly the same.”
For captains, owners and shipyards, ONEXP’s hybrid connectivity solutions offer the same reliability, speed and user experience of land-based broadband to a vessel constantly on the move. To learn how the system can be tailored to your yacht, contact ONEXP’s technical team.
Sponsored content created for ONEXP