Seawave News

Navionics, provider of electronic charting and digital navigation data, named Mr. Don Black as Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing. Mr. Black will head the Navionics Teams for Sales, Marketing, Product Management and Business Development, working across all divisions. Black’s most recent position was CEO/President at SeaWave, in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, a company which developed ship to shore wireless communications. Prior to that, Black worked in leadership positions at Drew Scientific and Instrumentation Labs. Early in his career he was a sales and marketing manager for Canada Packers and Gainers Corporation, Canada. Black is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan and studied at the Goethe Institut…

Globe Wireless announced the availability of a new version of the Rydex software. Now branded GlobeRydex, the software is a ship/shore satellite communications solution for the maritime industry. Customers use the GlobeRydex software either through the public hub environment (a service where ships connect to a shoreside hub managed by Globe Wireless) or a private hub configuration (where the shoreside server is kept and maintained at the customer’s premises). “In past years Rydex has seen only minimal software updates. It was in need of enhancements and maintenance.” commented Shane Rossbacher, Vice President of Product Management with Globe Wireless. Mr. Rossbacher continued, “The first phase of improvements addressed the public hub infrastructure.

There are a number of computer programs and hardware that promises to make marine vessels more productive and interactive. For example, Maxsea, Marstons Mill, Mass. has a module that connects their chart plotter to the sensors of a dredge to record the vessel's track. The track can be displayed on the chart plotter and the data collected can be directly exported in the ASC II format for use by other data processing software. The seabed outline is displayed "live" in 2-D and 3-D and the data is recorded. Need a tough bulkhead-mounted PC? Comark of Medfield, Mass. has a unit with the enclosure made of marine aluminum with an epoxy powder finish and is rated for a Nema 12 environment.

SeaWave, LLC has installed the SeaWave Integrator 3.0 aboard the Alaska Marine Highway System's (AMHS) high speed ferry "Fairweather," as it embarks on a one month trip for delivery from Bridgeport, Connecticut to Juneau, Alaska today. The builder of the vessel, Derecktor Shipyards, wanted to have a communications system on board for email and weather tracking for its delivery voyage. Working with SeaWave, this has been accomplished. The SeaWave Integrator will provide voice and email communications to the Derecktor delivery captain and 10 crew members during transit of the first commercial ferry to be built to the international High Speed Craft (HSC) code in the United States.

Maritime communications is an estimated $1 billion industry, encompassing ship operators, merchant fleets, governments and private yacht owners. There is arguably no more quickly evolving technical sector in the maritime market than the satellite communications niche. Safety, operational efficiency and quality of life onboard vessels of all type and size today more than ever depends on clear, reliable and cost effective satellite communication services and products. The following reports on recent advances from major service, product and system suppliers. The year started with news that Connexion by Boeing, a business unit of The Boeing Company, would roll-out its high speed satellite broadband capability for the maritime industry.

As technologically advanced as communications have become, the bottom line, particularly for business applications, remains basically the same: the need for clear, reliable and cost-effective means to communicate. Trends in the transmission of data, voice and e-mail from ship-to-shore are much like that of land-based operations. The need for more speed and increased reliability are never ending, and the companies that excel are the ones that not only continually innovate, but those that consistently stay on the front of the curve to deliver real-world technologies that deliver benefits in the unique maritime operational environment. In parallel, price pressures are ubiquitous, as shipowners are keen to exploit every outlet to cut costs and generate revenue.

SeaWave LLC released its newest maritime communications software, SeaWave Navigator Version 1.1. SeaWave Navigator is a low-cost, user-friendly communications solution, providing Internet e-mail, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) color weather charts, NOAA text weather forecasts, and other communication services to professional mariners. SeaWave Navigator is the software component of SeaWave’s marine communications system, which utilizes high frequency (HF) radio technology to securely transmit digital data to vessels at sea. Eliminating the need for costly capital investment, SeaWave Navigator employs standard Single Sideband (SSB) hardware and does not require specialized and expensive equipment.

SeaWave, a wireless communications company serving the maritime industry, has completed a new, state-of-the-art SeaWave Communications Station. The facility is located in Rhode Island and is used to provide SeaWave subscribers Internet e-mail and NOAA weather data using high frequency radio and advanced signal processing. The new station, which consists of multiple antenna arrays that provide worldwide coverage for SeaWave customers, has dedicated directional antennas support different geographic locations throughout the world to maximize coverage. Using a high-speed satellite link to interface with multiple servers located at SeaWave Corporate Offices in Middletown…

Wireless communications company SeaWave has appointed Chuck Gibson as director of sales. Gibson, who will be responsible for all sales in the U.S. will be based in in Coral Springs, Fla. Gibson brings to SeaWave his extensive industry experience having most recently served as a sales executive at Telenisus, a managed Internet infrastructure service provider, where he assisted customers in conducting business securely over the Internet. Prior to his accomplishments at Telenisus, he served as vice president of sales at Cruisephone, Inc. and was instrumental in driving the company to become a multi-million dollar, international maritime communications provider.

SeaWave LLC, a wireless communications company serving the maritime industry, has announced the appointment of David B. Markell as account manager responsible for sales in the northwest and northeast of the United States and Canada. Markell will be based at SeaWave Corporate Headquarters in Middletown, Rhode Island. Having served the marine insurance industry for the past twenty-two years, Markell brings to SeaWave his extensive marine industry experience. Before joining SeaWave, he was president of Hansen Marine Associates, Inc. in Newport, Rhode Island. Markell holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts.

The early 1980s witnessed the birth of the first generation Autohydro by Coastdesign Inc. (now called Autoship Systems Corporation (ASC)). Autohydro was one of a very few PC-based first principles stability and longitudinal strength programs available on the market of the day. Running in DOS, Autohydro quickly became world-renowned as a robust, dependable design and analysis tool for the creation of trim and stability books. Even today, some users of these early versions of Autohydro call ASC asking for advice. Since those early times, ASC has continued to improve Autohydro. The most recent release, Autohydro 6.0, includes many new features that hundreds of naval architects around the world rely on for their hydrostatic and strength calculations.

SeaWave builds on the functionality of the Integrator 3.0 product line with its latest advancement in marine communications - the Remote Management Suite (RMS). RMS is a portfolio of IT tools which allow shore-side administration of vessel operations with near-zero ship-based intervention. These IT tools streamline vessel operations by transferring IT responsibilities to land-based IT personnel. Crews untrained in information technology (IT) are increasingly relied upon for file transfers, system updates, day-to-day administration and troubleshooting of shipboard PCs and associated systems. "As shipping companies have become increasingly IT intensive, the crew have struggled to become more technically proficient" said Lawrence Zevon, Technical Product Manager for SeaWave.

Clipper Ventures based in Southampton England , selected US-based SeaWave LLC of Middletown, RI to provide voice and data communications to all ten yachts for the Clipper 05-06 Race. Each SeaWave unit provides email, telephone, daily log, weather and daily contact with the Race Office through the Iridium satellite network. While at sea, crew can share this unique racing experience with shore based friends and family via satellite telephone or individual email accounts. Clipper chose SeaWave in order to ensure reliable and efficient communications, as well as enhance the safety at sea. September 18, 2005, the Clipper Race 05-06 is the world's longest circumnavigation event measuring 35,000-miles.

Globe Wireless has signed an Asset Purchase Agreement to acquire substantially all the assets of SeaWave & Rydex. The transaction is aimed to create a maritime communications end to end solutions, and provide a complete range of services to over 8,000 ships and over 500 ship operators. By combining the Globe Wireless network and total solution with the innovative technology of SeaWave and Rydex the business will provide customers with the complete choice of systems, service and solutions for the next generation of communications platforms.

SeaWave&Rydex said that Thomas Darr was appointed Senior Account Executive for the Americas. Located in Virginia Beach, Va., Mr. Darr is responsible for selling the entire SeaWave&Rydex product portfolio, which includes the SeaWave Integrator, its fully integrated voice, data and remote management platform, the NavSeries voice and data system with built in satellite, GPS and GSM/GPRS/EDGE, the software-only rmx2 email/data solution as well as their pre-paid crew product SMSCrewMail. Other services include IT from shore, STAR vessel tracking, Notice of Arrival/Departure (NOAD/WETREP), full color weather and the mySeaWave Web Portal. “We are pleased to have Tom assume the role and responsibilities as Senior Account Executive for the Americas…

SeaWave LLC's marine communications suite includes SeaWave Navigator 2.0 and SeaWave Integrator, the later is a hardware device that comes bundled with SeaWave Communicator 3.0. SeaWave Navigator 2.0 is Windows based software bundled with a DSP modem and works with most existing SSB radios specifically for low bandwidth use. SeaWave's proprietary HFVelocity, utilized in both products, provides enhanced data compression and state-of-the-art signal processing, Auto Connect and Automatic Link Establishment (ALE). SeaWave software continuously scans all available HF frequencies during periods of inactivity. When a communication task is initiated…

SeaWave and Radio Holland USA, Inc., have announced a cooperation agreement. vessels. established services network. problems," said SeaWave Director of Sales Chuck Gibson. and Mexico," Gibson added.

SeaWave LLC announced the completion of two new communications stations in South Texas and Seattle, Wash. The new stations consist of multiple antenna arrays which bolster SeaWave’s world-wide coverage, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico, South America, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Pacific coast. The new communications stations are just two of SeaWave’s many dedicated directional antennas located throughout North America and Europe and complement existing Satellite and GSM solutions already offered by SeaWave. “These new communication stations were designed and built to support the increased network performance and efficiency made possible by SeaWave’s suite of communications products,” stated Joe Estrada, Director of Operations, SeaWave LLC.

Michael Carthew, President, Chevron Texaco Shipping and Dean Taylor, President and CEO, Tidewater Marine were elected to the ABS Board of Directors, by the ABS Council, following yesterday's Annual Members Meeting of the classification society in New York. General Dynamics announced the appointment of John F. "Dugan" Shipway, 60, as president of Bath Iron Works, reporting to Michael W. Toner, executive vice president of General Dynamics Marine Systems group. Shipway succeeds Allan C. Cameron, 57, who has announced his retirement. Cameron had been president of Bath Iron Works since 1996. Edwin W. Stephan, a founder and former longtime president and vice chairman of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., will retire from the Board of Directors following the company's May 20 annual meeting in Miami.

SeaWave LLC, a wireless communications company serving the maritime industry, is proud to announce its most recent addition to the Integrator product line, the Integrator 3.0i. The Integrator 3.0i features a built-in Iridium voice and data modem that allows any vessel to combine Integrator’s Least Cost Routing and SeaWave’s signature Throughput Technology with the low cost service fees of the Iridium constellation creating a low cost, highly available communications system. The Integrator 3.0i’s state-of-the-art technology may be installed as a stand alone system or combined to leverage your customer’s existing communications system into one least cost routing network. The end result is the most powerful and affordable communication service available.

SeaWave LLC announced a definitive agreement to acquire the intellectual property and technology assets of Rydex, the Maritime Data Solutions business, headquartered in British Columbia, Canada. This transaction combines two leading suppliers of marine communications services and serves a current customer-base in excess of 2000 vessels. “Combining the collective competencies of SeaWave and Rydex will raise the level of products, service and support for both companies. Customers will be able to choose from an extensive line-up of value added products that will allow services to be tailored to the specific requirements of each customer,” said SeaWave CEO, Don Black.