Recognizing the importance of keeping crew members connected to home and popular culture, innovative fleets such as TMS Gas Cardiff, Nereus Shipping SA, Tomini Transports LLC, and GFS Fleet Management have chosen to use KVH Industries for content services designed to enhance crew well-being. These content options include daily local news, blockbuster films, popular TV programming, real-time sports statistics, music, and social engagement through karaoke and other content.
KVH’s Global Content Sales Manager, Jamie Airs, emphasizes the significance of providing access to news, entertainment, and social interaction for the positive mental health of seafarers. KVH’s crew content services, known as KVH Link, deliver best-in-class content in multiple languages, allowing crew members to enjoy an exciting and entertaining experience on their laptops, personal devices, and TVs.
GFS Ship Management FZE has already implemented the KVH Link service on 16 vessels, prioritizing crew welfare and mental health. Captain (Dr.) Porus Pervez Dalal, Senior Manager/Head of Fleet Personnel, believes that offering entertainment options like movies and TV programs improves crew morale and reduces turnover. He also notes that a happy crew can lead to increased efficiency and safer operations.
KVH offers a wide range of content solutions through KVH Link, catering to vessels of all sizes. Using the KVH ONE global HTS network, as well as their award-winning TracNet hybrid and TracPhone VSAT terminals, KVH delivers daily TV news in over 12 languages, more than 60 print news editions in over 20 languages, along with movies, TV programming, music, trending social videos, and sports coverage. Importantly, KVH Link’s content delivery does not impact the vessel’s VSAT performance or data use.
For vessels without a KVH terminal and VSAT, KVH provides the linkHUB content server, offering monthly secure and encrypted content drives with movies and TV programs. Nereus Shipping SA, which maintains a mixed fleet with some vessels equipped with KVH VSAT terminals and others without, subscribes to both KVH Link and linkHUB to ensure that all crew members can enjoy premium quality entertainment.
KVH’s Jamie Airs foresees a continued demand for crew content in the commercial maritime industry, given the crewing crunch that is expected in the coming years. Many customers prefer providing KVH Link content in communal areas to foster social cohesion, improved morale, and overall well-being onboard.
For more information about KVH Link, visit their website.