Video On Demand News

A new on-demand service for movies, news and information has been built and launched for mariners working on board the typical deep-sea merchant vessels.While crew welfare in the form of modern IPTV entertainment is now part of the expected in some maritime segments, this is not the case in a typical tanker, bulk and container vessels, where the technology is often perceived as being too complicated and costly, says Norway-based BazePort.The company is now launching a new service…

Schottel will provide a range of propulsion systems for Louis Dreyfus Armateurs's second wind farm service operation vessel (SOV) the Wind of Hope.The new walk-to-work vessel, a sister vessel to the Wind of Change SOV, is currently under construction at Cemre shipyard in Turkey and will enter service operating under a long-term contract with Ørsted.The propulsion system of the vessel designed by Salt Ship Design vessel is powered by four diesel generators, which drive the electric motors of the Schottel propulsion package.

Asuka II, operated by NYK Cruises Co. Ltd., will undergo a 45-day makeover at the Sembcorp Marine Admiralty Yard in Singapore from the middle of January 2020. Asuka II is the nation’s largest cruise ship flying the Japanese flag (tonnage: 50,142 GT; capacity: 872 passengers).Features to be added during the dry dock include a large open-air bath, Western-style rooms featuring traditional Japanese-style tatami-mat sleeping areas, and a reading lounge where guests can enjoy a little quite time with books, smart devices, and computers.

ITC Global, a provider of satellite communications to remote and harsh environments, has announced its three-year contract extension with Youth With A Mission Medical Ships Australia, Ltd (YWAM MSA). Under terms of the agreement, ITC Global will provide critical connectivity services to the nonprofit’s medical ship serving the Papua New Guinea (PNG) region, along with new crew welfare services for staff leisure use not previously available to the YWAM team. The all-volunteer-operated vessel based in Townsville…

'Window in the Waves', featuring Coral Reef in Gulf of Mexico will go on the air in May and June next. It is the story of the Flower Garden Banks, a documentary by Director of Photography Todd Richard of Synergy Productions in association with Louisiana Public Broadcasting. • Wednesday, May 21, 2014 at 8 p.m. • Sunday, June 1 at 12:30 p.m. • Sunday, June 8 at 9:30 p.m. • Tuesday, June 10 at 11:30 p.m. • Tuesday, June 24 at 11:30 p.m. Located 110 miles off the Louisiana/Texas coast, the corals of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary rank among the healthiest in the world. 'Window in the Waves' tells the intriguing story of how these reefs were formed and why they are crucial to the global environment.

Germanischer Lloyd (GL) has published new guidelines for data networks which are implemented onboard ships or offshore platforms. As the maritime industry makes greater use of automated systems data networks have become more and more complex, while also integrating safety-critical and non-safety-critical application systems. The guidelines are available for download now on the GL website and will enter into force on August 1, 2013. One of the main reasons for the increasing number of application systems which are connected through data networks is to minimize the total length of cabling installed throughout the vessel. Minimizing cable length not only reduces the material and installation costs for the cabling…

Imtech Marine developed an IPTV solution specifically suitable for merchant and special vessels. The IPTV system enhances the crew comfort on board and helps the ship owner retain its valuable crew. It is based on Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and offers interactive multimedia services such as television, video, audio, text and graphics delivered over IP-based networks. The system reduces costs by eliminating the cable TV infrastructure and works via a plug-and-play IP network. The Imtech Marine IPTV solution offers TV and a package of regularly refreshed high class content like blockbuster movies, top TV series, music, news and sports.

SAM Electronics of Hamburg, an L-3 company, has been awarded a major contract for supply and installation of a comprehensive IT network and associated equipment aboard Pieter Schelte, the €1.3 billion dynamically-positioned platform installation-decommissioning and pipelay vessel being built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in South Korea on behalf of Swiss-based Allseas Group SA. Expected to begin worldwide service in 2014, and with a length of 382m and width of 117m, Pieter Schelte will be the world’s largest vessel of its type. It will have a topside lift capacity of 48,000 tons, a jack lift capability of 25,000 tons and a pipelay tension proficiency of 2,000 tons, effectively doubling the capability of the world’s current largest pipelay vessel, Allseas’ Solitaire.

Imtech Marine has developed an IPTV-based crew entertainment solution for the offshore and merchant marine market. IPTV offers interactive multimedia services such as television, video, audio, text and graphics delivered over IP based networks. The RH IPTV system allows the crew to put the job aside and relax just as they would in their own living room; watch television, play a movie or listen to their favorite music. The systems consists of SAT TV streamers that convert satellite TV broadcasts into an IP format and an RH IPTV server which provides all streaming Video on Demand and Music on Demand content from its hard discs. Users can access the system from their TV screen, which is connected to a Linux-powered set-top box.

GMPCS Personal Communications placed an initial order with Hughes Network Systems for 1,000 HNS 9201 broadband satellite IP terminals for use with Inmarsat’s Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) mobile satellite service. The deal with Hughes makes GMPCS the first satellite communications service provider to place an order for the terminals that will usher in the new global broadband service anticipated to begin in late 2005. The capabilities of BGAN will include the delivery of Internet and intranet content and solutions, LAN and WAN connectivity, video on demand, videoconferencing, fax, e-mail, phone and local area network access at speeds of up to 492 kbps.