KVH announced that TMS Maritime Solutions, a marine services expert that provides Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and applications to vessels, has joined the KVH Watch^® Solution Partner program and will offer KVH Watch connectivity to enable real-time data transfers leading to actionable insights. KVH Watch connectivity will allow TMS’s trained technicians to support clients remotely for preventive maintenance and on-demand troubleshooting, rather than waiting for vessels to come into port.

“KVH Watch is the perfect solution to connect vessels’ IoT systems with ashore/cloud platforms and applications,” says Jesus Rodriguez, co-founder and CTO of TMS Maritime Solutions. “It is a dedicated, isolated, and secure way to transfer sensor and navigational data in real time. This will allow us and fleet managers to analyze gathered information for preventive maintenance, vessel performance, and historical KPIs [key performance indicators] as opportunities to lower operational costs. With Remote Expert Intervention, we can offer real time remote support to the vessel with immediate assistance saving time and money.”

“We are thrilled that the experts at TMS have chosen our connectivity solution to enhance their maritime IoT service offering,” says Sven Brooks, senior director of IoT business development for KVH. “The equipment manufacturers and vessel operators that rely on TMS for insights will benefit from the improved equipment performance and operational efficiencies that real-time data analysis can provide.”

Prompted in part by the COVID-19 pandemic, the maritime industry is increasingly relying on digital processes to realize operating efficiencies; this digitalization has highlighted the need for high-speed satellite connectivity. With limited, expensive, or slow bandwidth, there is a missed opportunity for remote data platforms and analytics to play a role in improving vessel performance. Fast satellite connectivity creates the potential to enable a secure OT (operational technology) data flow separate from the vessel’s IT (information technology) data flow, so that all the data from essential machinery onboard the vessel reaches the correct shoreside experts.

KVH Watch is an IoT Connectivity as a Service solution that provides Flow, dedicated 24/7/365 machine-to-cloud satellite connectivity for remote monitoring of onboard equipment plus the ability to perform on-demand Remote Expert Interventions using video, voice, or text via KVH’s global HTS network. KVH Watch is designed for maritime equipment manufacturers, multicard service providers, and shipyards seeking affordable monthly subscription-based connectivity that L-band and cellular services cannot deliver at deep sea.

KVH is a mobile tech innovator that provides connectivity solutions for commercial maritime, leisure marine, and land mobile applications on vessels and vehicles, including the award-winning TracPhone^® and TracVision^® product lines, the global mini-VSAT Broadband_sm network, KVH Watch maritime IoT solutions, and AgilePlans^® Connectivity as a Service (CaaS). The company’s KVH Media Group provides news, sports, and entertainment content with such brands as NEWSlink™ and SPORTSlink™.