LMT, together with port services and technical provider LVR Fleet, has completed a successful trial demonstrating 5G connectivity across maritime environments in the Baltic region.
The pilot, carried out on the Daugava River in Riga, Latvia, proved smooth 5G communication both from shore to ship and between vessels. The test showcased a practicable approach to extend modern cellular connectivity over open water, enabling reliable data and voice links for ships operating beyond traditional coastal coverage.
The solution uses a multi-hop relay principle: a 5G signal is passed from one vessel to another, effectively bridging the connection gap between shore-based stations and ships at sea. A shipborne 5G base station was combined with short-range terrestrial links and complementary non-terrestrial 5G network elements to maintain continuous coverage over a wider area.
Building on these results, LMT and LVR Fleet plan a larger-scale trial in the Baltic Sea scheduled for November. This upcoming test aims to expand the scope and robustness of the maritime 5G concept and represents an important step toward transforming sea-based communications.
Arturs Lindenbergs, Mobility Innovation Lead at LMT, commented:
“In the near future, maritime 5G networks will enable a range of innovations, from autonomous vessels to remotely operated UAVs. While 5G is already beginning to support maritime digitalisation, extensive testing is still needed.
The Baltic Sea and its surrounding region offer an ideal environment for these trials, and we are excited to explore the innovation potential.”
Delivering dependable 5G coverage across expansive open water has been a technical challenge, and many industry trials have struggled to produce consistent results. The progress achieved by LMT and LVR Fleet therefore marks a notable advancement toward dependable maritime cellular connectivity.
If successfully scaled, this maritime 5G approach could turn the Baltic Sea into a testbed for new maritime technologies—improving safety, operational efficiency, and enabling services that require low-latency, high-bandwidth connections.
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