SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

NSSLGlobal has equipped two tall ships in the Full Circle veterans’ sailing expedition around the UK with satellite communications. The voyage is carrying the Invictus Games Birmingham 2027 flag.

It has provided broadband satellite connectivity on Pellew and Spirit of Falmouth, along with handheld satellite voice phones for emergencies, crew training and round-the-clock technical support. The expedition involves up to 70 ex-forces veterans taking part in stages of a 2,000-nautical-mile route around the UK.

Organised by Turn to Starboard and Full Circle, the voyage set out from Falmouth and is due to visit 22 ports across the UK over 13 weeks before returning home. Crew members include veterans who are wounded, injured or dealing with mental health challenges.

The communications systems are being used for welfare, safety and media purposes during the journey. The voyage is also seeking to raise GBP £300,000 to help fund the purchase of another tall ship and expand support for ex-service personnel.

Support at sea

The project aligns with NSSLGlobal’s work in maritime and defence communications, including support for welfare initiatives linked to service personnel. It also highlighted its previous backing for former soldier Craig Wood, who completed a solo Pacific crossing after losing both legs and his left hand in Afghanistan.

That broader context helps explain its involvement in a voyage focused on recovery, reconnection and raising the visibility of veterans through a public route around the British coastline.

“We are delighted to support Turn to Starboard & Full Circle with communications. This hugely uplifting project is using the experience of sea and sail to give our veterans potentially life-changing opportunities to rebuild confidence, strength and a sense of connection in the face of all kinds of physical and mental challenges. We have been lucky to have met some of the organisers and crew at numerous port stays and key events throughout the UK. Staff from our different offices have been on board and experienced first-hand the great atmosphere and teamwork. Having enjoyed chats with fellow ex-service personnel, it is clear that this expedition is having a great impact, and being able to stay in touch and record the trip is also key,” said Sally-Anne Ray, Chief Executive Officer of NSSLGlobal.

Veterans aboard

Turn to Starboard was founded to support Armed Forces personnel affected by military operations through sailing and sail training. Based in Falmouth, the charity uses time at sea to help veterans and their families rebuild confidence and find structure after service.

The Full Circle expedition connects that work with the Invictus Games flag, which is being carried around the UK ahead of the Birmingham event. Participants join different legs of the voyage rather than sailing the full route, allowing more veterans to take part.

Satellite connectivity has become a practical part of that model because crews are often at sea for extended periods and moving between ports. The equipment allows those on board to remain in contact with relatives and support networks while also documenting the trip.

“Reliable communications play an important role in keeping our crews connected, supported and safe throughout the Full Circle Expedition. NSSLGlobal’s connectivity support enables those on board to stay in touch with loved ones and share their recovery journeys as they carry the Invictus Games Flag around the UK,” said Sally Terry, Chief Executive Officer of Turn to Starboard.

The expedition is being undertaken on two traditionally rigged wooden-hull vessels, adding a demanding physical element to the programme. Sailing these ships requires teamwork and sustained effort, which organisers say can help participants rebuild trust and resilience.

One of the skippers involved in the voyage is Army veteran Paul Miller, who is leading Spirit of Falmouth on part of the route.

“Being part of this expedition fills me with real pride. It has reminded me how far I’ve come in my own recovery and how much further we can all go together,” said Miller.

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

Argyll Data Development has launched a sovereign AI inference cloud for UK organisations, designed to keep infrastructure and model control within UK jurisdiction.

The Dunoon-based company built the platform with SambaNova for organisations that want to run production AI workloads without relying on foreign-owned hyperscale cloud providers.

The launch comes as businesses and public sector bodies move AI systems from pilot projects into live operations, bringing greater scrutiny over where data is held, who controls the underlying systems, and how services meet regulatory requirements. In sectors such as defence, healthcare and finance, those questions have become more pressing because some workloads cannot be moved offshore.

Argyll says the platform combines UK-owned infrastructure with SambaNova hardware and software so that data, models and operations remain under UK control. It is intended to address concerns about reliance on overseas cloud groups for AI inference.

Sovereignty focus

At the centre of the service is SambaNova’s Reconfigurable Data Unit architecture, running the company’s SambaManaged system. The design can be deployed in existing UK data centres, with racks operating at about 10kW, in contrast to the higher power demands and cooling requirements often associated with GPU-based systems.

The cloud hosts open-source models including Minimax and can deliver speeds of up to 400 tokens per second within a UK-resident environment. It is designed for real-time AI applications ranging from customer operations to fraud detection.

Argyll has also structured the platform as a disaggregated system, allowing compute, storage and networking to be distributed across multiple UK locations while functioning as a single inference layer. The company says this offers resilience and flexibility for regulated and security-sensitive users.

Peter Griffiths outlined the company’s view of what constitutes sovereign AI infrastructure.

“Sovereignty in AI is not a label you can apply to a contract or a colocation agreement. It is a condition that has to be demonstrated – who is accountable, where the infrastructure sits, who controls the intelligence layer, and whether all of that aligns with the expectations of the society being served. Our platform satisfies those conditions. We are building the standard that others should be measured against,” said Peter Griffiths, Chairman of Argyll Data Development.

The launch reflects a wider debate in the UK over how AI services should be built and governed as adoption grows. Much of the market relies on large US cloud providers for computing and model access, but some organisations have raised concerns that dependence on overseas platforms could complicate compliance, procurement and public trust.

Energy use and operating costs have also become central issues as AI models are deployed at scale. Argyll and SambaNova are positioning their offer as an alternative to GPU-led systems, arguing that power consumption, cooling needs and ongoing infrastructure costs can become barriers when organisations move from testing to full production use.

Jude Sheeran, who leads SambaNova in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said many users had not fully considered those trade-offs.

“As organisations scale AI, many are defaulting to GPU infrastructure without fully accounting for long-term cost, energy and operational complexity. Our work with Argyll provides an alternative, enabling high-performance AI inference that is more efficient, deployable and aligned with sovereignty requirements,” said Jude Sheeran, Managing Director for EMEA at SambaNova.

Argyll describes itself as a developer of renewable-powered infrastructure for AI in the UK. Its flagship project is the 184-acre Killellan AI Growth Zone in Argyll, where it plans to combine on-site wind, wave and solar generation with data-centre infrastructure.

That broader strategy links the company’s sovereign cloud pitch to domestic energy supply as well as data jurisdiction. For UK organisations deciding where to place sensitive AI workloads, Argyll is arguing that control over infrastructure, operations and location should sit together rather than be split across contracts and overseas cloud platforms.

VisitBritain and, which is funded by the Government, said it “strongly supports” the Puy du Fou proposal to be built north of Bicester near junction 10 of the M40.

It said the operator “offers a truly distinctive visitor experience through its historic theme park concept” and said it “can see the potential for this project to generate significant interest and excitement among domestic and international visitors alike.”

In the supporting letter, Andrew Stokes, director of the British Tourist Authority, said the agency has been impressed by its established track record in France and Spain and its collaborative approach in working with Experience Oxfordshire, the VisitEngland-accredited local visitor economy partnership for the county.

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Puy du Fou says that by the time the park is fully developed, it will directly employ around 2,000 people, support a further 6,000 jobs in hotels, restaurants, suppliers and other local businesses, and deliver a £500m annual boost to the local and regional economy.

Mr Stokes detailed the anticipated long-term economic benefits for Oxfordshire and the Cherwell district, noting a published report in January which highlighted that tourism activity contributed to a Gross Domestic Product impact of £147b, supporting 2.4 million jobs in 2024.

“Tourism has a significantly positive regional economic impact across the UK”, he said, “Relevant to Oxfordshire and Cherwell, the South East region is the second largest recipient, accounting for £17 of economic activity in 2024.”