Communications Division News

KVH Industries, Inc., announced that Greek shipmanager A.M. Nomikos has chosen KVH AgilePlans to provide VSAT connectivity for crew welfare and vessel operations. Nova Electronics, KVH’s service partner in Greece, has installed TracPhone V7-HTS antennas on three Nomikos vessels to date and is expected to continue the rollout of KVH’s AgilePlans service on additional vessels within the fleet in the coming months.“Crew welfare is very important to our company, and we expect the fast data speeds of the KVH systems and the reliable HTS network will be a great benefit to our seafarers and our shipping operations,” said Yiannis Sofianidis, IT Director for A.M. Nomikos.

The world’s biggest shipping company, Maersk Line, and its affiliated shipping services, SeaLand and Safmarine, has agreed to continue to call at the Port of Houston after APM Terminals, a unit of Maersk Group, said it was permanently terminating its operations there, the Port of Houston Authority said. Under the deal, APMT has operated its own section of Barbours Cut terminal,  however; the lease will now be transferred to the port authority effective July 24. According to Maersk, its current services that call the Port of Houston Authority's terminals will remain unchanged and uninterrupted. "We remain committed to serving all of our customers for whom the Port of Houston is a critical gateway to their supply chains…

Technology is central, not merely an add-on, to ship manager brand value. Ship managers who operate vessels on behalf of their owner clients, are the lynchpin of international shipping. As the industry has gone through rounds of relentless cost cutting, at times of increasing regulatory scrutiny, and commercial pressures for high standards, third party managers have filled the need for raising quality, while maintaining tight cost controls. The rise of third party managers in the 1980s and 1990s…

General Dynamics C4 Systems recently received the Defense Mobile Classified Capability (DMCC) contract from the National Security Agency (NSA). As part of the contract, General Dynamics will deliver up to 1,000 Samsung KNOX™-enabled Galaxy S® 4 smartphones provisioned with added GD Protected® software for the U.S. government. With these new smartphones, authorized government personnel will be able to make secure phone calls and access classified email. The GD Protected Samsung KNOX smartphones represent an important step toward the government’s Commercial Solutions for Classified initiative. “Mobile government workers now have the freedom to read classified emails and talk securely anywhere, every time,” said Chris Marzilli, president of General Dynamics C4 Systems.

A New Independent Company to Focus on Satellite Communications for Energy Exploration and Production, Maritime and Leisure Markets. Environmental & Safety Systems International, Incorporated (ESSI), an energy industry service leader in Aids to Navigation (AtoN), SCADA and Safety Systems announces the creation of BlueTide Communications Corporation (BlueTide) via the spin-­‐off of the ESSI Communications Division. BlueTide will focus on providing data, voice, video and monitoring services to the energy exploration and production industry, and the commercial maritime and leisure yacht markets, offering service coverage in 11 regions around the world including the U.S.

Silversea Cruises' CEO Albert Peter announced the appointment of Barbara Muckermann to the newly created position of vice president, corporate communications. The communications division will now encompass public relations, guest relations and the line's past guest program, the Venetian Society. our already strong presence in the critically important North American market, ensuring the continuity of the Silversea message as we continue to expand our presence worldwide," stated Peter. Muckermann has an extensive background in communications and the international maritime industry in particular. During her career she has worked in France and Italy and handled the public relations activities for several European shipping and consumer accounts such as UMS Generali Marine and RINA.

Northrop Grumman Corporation announced that its board of directors has elected Ronald D. Grumman's next chairman of the board. Effective Oct. officer and president. chairman since 1990, will retire on that date. 2003 as president and chief executive officer. boards," said Sugar. Grumman in September 2001 and its chief executive officer in April 2003. has served as a member of the Northrop Grumman board of directors since 2001. Industries, a company acquired by Northrop Grumman in April 2001. Information Systems and a member of the chief executive office of TRW Inc. global automotive electronics business. scientific, and commercial space and electronics programs. Aircraft Co., Argosystems Inc. and The Aerospace Corporation. (1969) and doctoral degrees (1971) in the same field.

Northrop Grumman Corporation has appointed Dr. Ronald D. Sugar to its board of directors, increasing the board to 14 members. Dr. Sugar, formerly president and COO of Litton Industries Inc., is corporate vice president, president and CEO of Northrop Grumman's Litton Sector. He joined the board effective with the completion of the company's tender offer for Litton Industries Inc. Prior to joining Litton, Dr. Sugar was president and COO of TRW Aerospace and Information Systems, and a member of the three-man Chief Executive Office of TRW Inc., a $17 billion global automotive, aerospace and information systems company. In his nearly 20 years with TRW, Dr.