BW Selects KVH mini-VSAT Broadband for LNG and LPG Fleet

KVH Industries, Inc. was chosen by BW, a worldwide maritime energy transportation company, as the satellite communications solution for its Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) fleet.

BW’s vessels will use KVH’s advanced, dual-mode TracPhone V11-IP onboard satellite communications system and mini-VSAT Broadband service for the “always-on” broadband connectivity that is essential for today’s commercial maritime operations. BW recently completed field trials of the TracPhone V11-IP system, and expects to have 20 vessels equipped by the end of 2013, with rollout continuing through 2014.

“We chose KVH’s dual-mode antenna and mini-VSAT Broadband service for their global coverage, ease of deployment, and reliability,” says Geraldine Pang, Vice President, Information Technology, BW Maritime. “The system provides a reliable network and some hardware redundancy as both C- and Ku-band can operate independently. This is important for business continuity. Beyond technological considerations, it is important to work with a company that designs, manufactures, and operates both the hardware and network as this reduces communications complexities. The simplicity of a single dome and an extremely compact belowdecks unit that includes everything makes the KVH VSAT system very simple and fast to deploy. We managed to deploy 15 vessels in just one quarter. This would be impossible with larger C-band-only domes.”

“BW is known for its outstanding fleet of vessels and high standards in maritime operations,” says Vivian Quenet, KVH Vice President of Sales, Asia Pacific. “The global coverage from our mini-VSAT Broadband service and improved broadband connectivity delivered by our unique, dual-mode, C/Ku-band TracPhone V11-IP system will give BW’s fleet the ability to optimize operations, collaborate with shoreside offices, and offer their crews a reliable system for accessing the Internet and staying in touch with their families.”

With more than 3,000 onboard terminals sold, mini-VSAT Broadband is the world’s most popular maritime VSAT solution, according to independent industry reports published in 2012 by Euroconsult, NSR, and Comsys. The network uses ArcLight® spread spectrum technology, which was developed by KVH’s partner, ViaSat, Inc. (Nasdaq: VSAT), specifically for mobile use. ArcLight is unique due to its efficient reuse of satellite channels, fast speed, low latency, and its ability to support very small antennas that provide reliable service, even in poor weather conditions.

The TracPhone V11-IP uses a single, compact antenna to seamlessly access both the C- and Ku-band satellites of the mini-VSAT Broadband network. The three-axis, gyro-stabilized antenna system delivers premium quality multimegabit connectivity worldwide, and is the world’s only dual-mode, 1.1 meter (42.5-inch) diameter VSAT antenna. TracPhone V11-IP features KVH’s new Integrated CommBox Modem, a streamlined belowdecks unit that includes an IP-enabled antenna control unit, CommBox Network Manager, ArcLight spread spectrum modem, Voice over IP (VoIP), Ethernet switch, and Wi-Fi capabilities. KVH manufactures two additional V-IP series antenna systems for the mini-VSAT Broadband service: TracPhone V7-IP, a 60 cm (24-inch) diameter Ku-band VSAT antenna, and the ultra-compact TracPhone V3-IP, a 37 cm (14.5-inch) diameter Ku-band VSAT antenna.

KVH, a recognized innovator in maritime satellite communications, recently announced IP-MobileCast content delivery service, which is designed to use advanced multicasting and error correction technologies to deliver large multimedia files via the mini-VSAT Broadband network to subscribing vessels. The IP-MobileCast service, which is expected to be available by the end of the year, will deliver such licensed content as premium movies, television programs, news, and sports to subscribing vessels, whose operators must adhere to stringent copyright regulations and provide crew welfare benefits as outlined in the recently implemented MLC-2006 maritime regulations.

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