[SatNews] Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) signed a 5-year contract renewal for Business VPN, a fully-managed, secure, global IP infrastructure from Orange Business Services. The solution provides MSC an MPLS-based network for 65 sites in 30 countries. Additionally, the shipping company will test the Maritime Satellite Service from Orange Business Services in a 2-year pilot.

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, MSC is a privately-owned shipping line that employs more than 30,000 staff and is the second largest carrier with respect to container slot capacity and the number of container vessels operated, 404 in early May 2010. Moreover, MSC Cruises is a leader in the Mediterranean cruise market, sailing in the region throughout the year, as well as offering a wide range of seasonal itineraries in Northern Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean, North America and Canada, South America, the Indian Ocean, as well as South and West Africa. MSC has been an Orange Business Services customer for 10 years and the renewal underlines the strong relationship between the two companies, recognizes the good performance from Orange Business Services and acknowledges a compelling quality/price ratio.

To complement the renewal, MSC is participating in a 2-year pilot to test the Maritime Satellite Service from Orange Business Services. As part of its satellite services strategy, Orange Business Services offers Maritime Satellite Service, transforming maritime communications by fully integrating its satellite solution with Business VPN. This satellite service provides real-time broadband services to vessels wherever they are. MSC will equip one of its ships with the maritime VPN solution. Unlike other providers, Orange Business Services integrates satellite and terrestrial services, enabling customers to mix all types of access so that any site on land or sea can be connected directly to a secure IP VPN.