Commercial maritime professionals have a keen eye for versatile and affordable satellite communications solutions for their ships. Broadband connections onboard are playing a valuable role in enhancing operational efficiency, reducing costs, and increasing competitive position.

KVH Industries, Inc., (Nasdaq: KVHI) has been selected by Mowinckel Ship Management AS (formerly Vista), a commercial ship operator, for conversion to KVH’s commercial-grade TracPhone V7 SATCOM system for its day-to-day satellite communications and crew use aboard seven chemical tankers. The TracPhone V7 and mini-VSAT Broadband service offer highly valuable features for Mowinckel, including data service at 256 Kbps and two lines of enhanced Voice over IP (VoIP) telephone service, dramatically increasing their network capacity while staying within their monthly airtime budget. KVH also offers its rugged satellite TV antennas for use aboard commercial vessels, including shipping and fishing vessels that are often at sea for long periods of time, to increase crew morale and support retention of quality staff. Many operators choose to have live TV onboard for this very reason — as competition for the best crew intensifies, amenities like satellite TV can help an operator succeed.