M1, Fullerton to launch 5G-powered maritime telemedicine in Singapore in July

Seafarers will soon enjoy access to teleconsultations and have their medicines delivered by drones.

Singapore’s telecoms firm M1 Limited teamed up with regional hospital operator Fullerton Health in providing 5G-enabled telemedicine services for the maritime sector of the Southeast Asian nation. 

The partners are set to provide seafarers in Singapore’s south coast access to live teleconsultations with healthcare professionals while working onboard ships, as well as 5G-powered drones to deliver medicines to ship crews. 

Slated to hit the market in July, the services will be available to seafarers and staff of shipping firms in Singapore either on land or in the anchorage, as long as they are connected to M1’s 5G network. The telemedicine service will be powered by M1’s 5G SMARTsafe solution that provides standalone offshore network coverage in the south coast. 

“We want to harness the 5G network to provide virtual healthcare solutions, including telehealth and remote patient monitoring and care team collaboration as the health and safety of port workers and sailors are critical to global trade and supply chains,” Ho Kuen Loon, group CEO at Fullerton Health, said in a statement on Wednesday.

Other features of its 5G-powered "solution-in-a-box suite” are M1 SMARTsecure that enables real-time video surveillance systems; SMARTasset enabling autonomous robotics for inspection of critical assets; as well as a workforce productivity solution called SMARTops.

“M1 continues to double down on our efforts to co-create and introduce viable 5G-enabled commercial solutions to further revolutionise Singapore’s maritime operations and make Maritime 5G a reality,” the telco’s chief executive officer (CEO), Manjot Singh Mann said.

M1 is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore conglomerate Keppel Corp. and is among the major telecom companies in the city-state. Its partner, Fullerton, is also headquartered in the Lion City and is a provider of corporate healthcare services across Asia Pacific.