Lars Erik Lunøe is the CEO of Telenor Maritime in Arendal.

Telenor Maritime has signed an agreement to acquire all the shares of Finnish tech company KNL Networks.

“By combining the competences of both companies, Telenor Maritime is able to offer end-to-end managed services for the maritime market, including global access and access management of operation-critical data and cyber security,” according to a press release.

“Our vision of a greener future in the maritime industry takes a big leap forward with the acquisition of KNL Networks,” says Lars Erik Lunøe, CEO of Telenor Maritime.

“This affordable technology provides the industry with a unique opportunity to utilize digitized solutions, enabling them to make data-driven decisions, improve efficiency, gain competitive advantage, and work towards a greener, more sustainable future,” says Lunøe.

Pursuing the elimination of the digital divide between offshore and onshore industries, Telenor Maritime is now able to provide the same quality of experience at sea as on land to the whole maritime sector, increasing its profitability through operational excellence.

“Due to technological and topographic challenges, a full-fledged offer to the merchant fleet sector has been challenging to deliver, until now. KNL Networks has developed a unique system providing data access through a secure mesh network around the globe for maritime and critical communication markets. With this technology and Telenor Maritime’s expertise, the merchant fleet’s missing link is finally in place: a dedicated end-to-end channel for reliable, secure, and above all affordable access to business-critical information,” according to the press release.

“This positioning is unique in the maritime sector, making Telenor Maritime the only one-stop-shop for a digital transformation of the maritime industry. We’re excited about the opportunity to join forces with Telenor Maritime and to become a part of Telenor Group – a company that has over a century of history in the field of connectivity and repu- tation of being a trusted partner. I am confident that together we can lead the way of digitalizing maritime and help our clients on their digital transformation journey, as well as strengthen our position as a trusted partner to our cus- tomers in the critical communication segment” says Toni Lindén, CEO KNL Networks.

Based in Arendal, Telenor Maritime has been at the forefront of developing and defining secure connectivity standards for the maritime business since 2004. Today, the company serves more than 100 ship owners and 30 million people on board more than 500 vessels and offshore installations worldwide. Telenor Group is one of the world’s major mobile operators, connecting 180 million customers in 9 markets.