Adaptable communication system for a vessel

A gate of communication system for a vessel comprising:

• at least one wireless interface for coupling to a wireless transmission line for wireless communication with another gate of the same type and at least one wired interface for coupling to a wired transmission line for wired communication with another gate of the same type;
• wherein the gate is configured to:
• whenever the system is in operation and the gate is active, repeatedly measure a property of the wired and wireless transmission lines or a property of the wired and wireless interfaces and update a current gate status based on the measured property;
• receive a data package;
• select a transmission line based on the current gate status;
• and
• send the data package onwards towards a destination via the selected transmission line, wherein the property is measured and the current gate status is updated periodically at predetermined time intervals or each time a fixed number of data packages has been sent onwards by the gate, wherein the fixed number is 2 or more.

A method for communication in a communication system for a vessel comprising a plurality of gates, each gate comprising at least one wireless interface for coupling to a wireless transmission line for wireless communication with another gate in the plurality of gates and at least one wired interface for coupling to a wired transmission line for wired communication with another gate in the plurality of gates, the method comprising:

• whenever the system is in operation, repeatedly measure, by each gate, a property of the wired and wireless transmission lines or a property of the wired and wireless interfaces of that gate and updating, by each gate, a gate status based on the measured property;
• receiving, by a gate of the system, a data package;
• selecting, by the gate, a transmission line based on the current gate status for that gate;
• and
• sending, by the gate, the data package onwards towards a destination via the selected transmission line, wherein the property is measured and the current gate status is updated periodically at predetermined time intervals or each time a fixed number of data packages has been sent onwards by the gate, wherein the fixed number is 2 or more.