Telent expands ICT support for Maritime & Coastguard Agency

Telent has expanded its managed ICT work with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency across 24 UK locations, supporting systems used in the UK's maritime emergency response operations.

The work covers a 24/7 managed service for the agency's communications, networks, cloud services and security infrastructure, alongside a service desk, incident management, backup and recovery, and supplier management.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency uses these systems to coordinate search and rescue operations around the UK coastline and support wider emergency response activity. The remit has helped the agency manage a technology estate spread across multiple suppliers while reducing pressure on internal teams.

A central part of the work has involved moving the agency away from a fragmented supplier model. Telent has introduced more structured governance, reporting and service management processes to improve service stability and operational visibility.

The company also supported two major technology projects within the agency: the migration of the MCA's Blue Light email platform and a move to a more resilient data centre environment.

According to the case study, the agency faced several operational and management issues before the current model was established. These included early service instability, limited knowledge transfer during transition, broad service requirements, and difficulty recruiting and retaining specialist ICT staff.

Telent now provides end-to-end support across 24 operational sites in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The service is delivered through a 24/7 service desk and network operations centre, alongside server, network and cloud infrastructure management.

Service model

The wider service includes patch and vulnerability management, change and release management, asset and configuration management, and continuous service improvement. This framework allows the agency to focus on frontline public service delivery while external teams manage the underlying infrastructure.

The case study said the relationship has shifted from a traditional supplier arrangement to a closer working partnership, shaped by more regular communication, clearer governance and support during critical incidents.

For the agency, consolidating responsibility under one managed service has reduced the complexity of overseeing several suppliers, according to the details released. It has also given the MCA access to specialist ICT staff without having to build all of that expertise internally.

Operational support

The MCA's infrastructure supports systems used in situations where service disruption can have operational consequences. This has placed emphasis on continuity during service transition, as well as the ability to support future changes to networks and cyber security controls.

Telent linked the Blue Light email migration to a wider programme of cyber security improvements. It also said its role in the data centre migration helped maintain continuity while strengthening resilience.

Peter Moir gave the company's view of the work.

"Supporting the Maritime and Coastguard Agency is about much more than managing IT infrastructure. It's about providing a resilient, responsive service that underpins operations where reliability is critical. By working closely with the MCA, we've evolved from a managed service provider into a trusted partner, helping strengthen service delivery, improve governance and create a platform for future transformation," said Peter Moir, Managing Director, Telent.

The agency also commented on the working relationship and its effect on day-to-day operations.

"Telent has taken a collaborative approach, working alongside our teams to understand our operational priorities and continually improve the service we receive. Their technical expertise, transparency and willingness to work through challenges together have helped us build a more stable, resilient ICT environment, giving us greater confidence in the systems that support our critical operations," said Haines.