French shipping giant CMA CGM will test Eutelsat’s satellite broadband network alongside Elon Musk’s Starlink, signaling a significant endorsement of the European contender as it seeks to establish itself in the competitive low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite market.
The trial, announced Tuesday, will equip CMA CGM’s container fleet with both Eutelsat’s OneWeb and Starlink technology, allowing for a direct comparison of performance and reliability. This move underscores France’s strategic interest in fostering a European alternative to the American-owned Starlink, particularly as satellite connectivity becomes increasingly vital for global logistics and communications.
Jean-François Fallacher, CEO of Eutelsat, discussed the company’s position as a European response to Starlink on BFM Business on Monday, March 2nd. The discussion was part of the “Tech & Co” program, featuring a range of industry leaders including Bruno Zerbib of Orange and Guillaume Kempf of Skylo.
France views Eutelsat as a key asset in its broader push for technological sovereignty within the European Union, according to reports. The CMA CGM trial is a concrete demonstration of this support. The company’s OneWeb constellation aims to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access to underserved regions and industries, competing directly with Starlink’s established presence.
The test comes as the satellite communications landscape rapidly evolves. Skylo, another player in the sector, recently announced a major partnership with Orange, highlighting the growing interest in satellite-based connectivity. Guillaume Kempf, Skylo’s CFO, also appeared on BFM Business’s “Tech & Co” program on Monday to discuss the opportunities and challenges in the field.
The broader “Tech & Co” program on March 2nd also covered developments from the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, including innovations from Honor, Samsung, Xiaomi, Qualcomm, TCL, and Huawei. Yoshua Bengio, a leading AI researcher, also appeared on the program on February 26th to discuss the implications of artificial intelligence.
As of Tuesday, March 3rd, Eutelsat has not commented on the specific metrics that will be used to evaluate the performance of OneWeb against Starlink during the CMA CGM trial. The results of the testing are expected to inform future decisions regarding satellite connectivity solutions for the shipping industry and potentially influence broader European policy on technological independence.
