Jim Dodez
-
- The New Pipeline Maritime Reporter, Sep 2014 #58
Competition in the maritime communications sector is fierce, and ship owners are the winners as service from land-to-sea is becoming faster and cheaper. MR spoke with KVH’s Jim Dodez in Athens at Posidonia for his insights on the present and future of connectivity at sea.
More than ever ships at sea demand “land-like” connectivity to the internet. Whether the purpose is maritime business or a content crew, companies such as KVH are growing their business and product portfolios at an equally rapid clip.
“The big driver in the business today is the capability of broadband,” said Jim Dodez, SVP Marketing and Strategic Planning, KVH Industries, Inc. “So it’s not one thing, it’s not entertainment alone, for example. It’s really all of the benefits that broadband can bring to a business. The operations manager, the IT manager, the HR manager are looking at the internet and the new services available on land and they are asking ‘why can’t we do that on the ships?’”
KVH has emerged as a leader in a sector that is defined by rapid fire continuous growth and consolidation (including KVH’s recent acquisition of Videotel). It brings a diverse offering to the markets it serves, including leisure, government and commercial.
In truth the ‘era of broadband on ships’ is still in its infancy, as ship owners en masse are still remiss to invest in the latest communication technology for a number of reasons, starting with cost and including concerns that full-scale entertainment and connectivity for crew could take attention from routine ship operations and safety.
But the direction is clear and broadband at sea is expected to grow rapidly, as technology improves, prices drop and the new generation of merchant seamen demand and receive similar internet access and options as they might enjoy on land.
Meet IP-MobileCast
In mid-May 2014 KVH went ‘live’ with the new IP-MobileCast, a new service designed to make it affordable for mariners to receive a wide range of content. While Dodez would not comment on buy-in to date, he did note that “We’re in the process of signing up subscribers, and we have announced 4,000 VSAT terminals in the field already who all can receive this new service.”
IP-MobileCast and services like it are designed to bring entertainment options onboard the ship that heretofore could only be found on land. Onboard treatment of the seafarer has come full circle in recent years, driven by legislation such as MLC2006 but perhaps more so by the basic need to attract and retain talented mariners from an increasingly shallow pool. KVH and Dodez believe that services such as IP-MobileCast can help to do that.
“When we look at it we look at it from the customer perspective and we think there is a big human resources requirement: the Crew Morale requirement in the Maritime Labor Convention,” said Dodez. “Previously for the crew we had internet café and calling; now we’re adding movies and TV, we’re adding sports and we’re adding news and music to round out the Crew Morale offering. When we’re talking to the HR manager, we have the solution for crew morale.”
The IP-MobileCast service utilizes multicasting technology to deliver large amounts of content to many ships at once. With the new service content is delivered over the top of the network so there is no charge for the delivery, only for the content itself; and the multicasting transmission does not affect the vessel’s mini-VSAT Broadband onboard data speed. Also, the service ensures digital rights management (DRM) of copyrighted material, such as Hollywood movies and television programs; and the content is delivered using forward error correction to minimize burden on the mini-VSAT Broadband network.
Content available via IP-MobileCast is provided by KVH Media Group, a provider of commercially licensed news and entertainment content to the maritime, hotel, and retail industries.
While the connection and the content are the critical component, KVH’s new media server which was launched at Posidonia 2014 adds brawn to the system. The new media server, which retails for $4995, has a terabyte drive to start and is upgradable, has the power to store all of the broadcast content, a mass storage port which effectively enables live streaming television and movies.
While KVH has been busy developing entertainment solutions for the mariner, it has not ignored its core ship owner business customers, and in tandem the capabilities of broadband can deliver efficiencies to everyday ship operations. “The operations manager will be concerned with things like ‘how do I get my digital charts on the vessel?’” said Dodez. He sees the evolution of communication service at sea picking up serious steam in this regard, reasoning that as satellite owners focus more capacity on the ocean regions, prices drop and allow companies like KVH to lease the capacity to provide total geographic coverage of the oceans. While the satellite signal is a key component, modern electronics has played a large part too. “Through Innovation and working with modem manufacturers we have been able to bring the hardware down from a stack of equipment that filled a whole computer hardware rack down to one box,” said Dodez. “Modern electronics has allowed us to compress that into a simple, easy to install solution.”
(As published in the September 2014 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News - http://magazines.marinelink.com/Magazines/MaritimeReporter)
-
- Moving Ahead with MLC: the true course to compliance. Maritime Logistics Professional, Q3 2014 #36
hand, KVH provides low cost content delivery – large amounts of data delivered just once to all customers – which frees up bandwidth to do other things. Jim Dodez, KVH Senior Vice President for Marketing and Planning says, “Ships no longer have to ‘resize’ comms to allow both. This can save a lot of money.” Moreove
-
- NUWC Courting Industry Marine Technology, Mar 2013 #36
lot of the sponsors of those grants were based here in Newport because there’s good contact with the engineering, customer and defense communities,” said Jim Dodez, Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Planning, KVH Industries, Inc. in Middletown, R.I. SBIR grants stems from the mandate that a certain percentage
-
- URI Scientist Seeks Technology Solutions Marine Technology, Mar 2013 #40
of these brainy engineers who have worked on these projects over the years. When you have people like that, you get a lot of start-up companies,” said Jim Dodez, vice president of marketing and strategic planning for KVH Industries. He should know, KVH’s first product for the commercial maritime market was
-
- In Rhode Island, the Future is Blowing in the Wind Marine Technology, Mar 2013 #44
property on the waterfront with a combination of rail connects, airstrip and deep water access at one facility – I think it is a fantastic asset,” said Jim Dodez, Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Planning, KVH Industries, Inc. in Middletown, R.I. Steven King, managing director of the port, believes
-
- Broadband Bandwidth Battles Maritime Reporter, Feb 2015 #42
share of its closest competitor, according to a 2014 industry report by Euroconsult. Nevertheless, KVH and its SVP Marketing and Strategic Planning, Jim Dodez, are hardly satisfied with sitting back on their laurels. The new KVH IP-MobileCast is the latest and most visible product of that effort. Intended
-
)
January 2024 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 41All images copyright Jim McNeill/Global Warrior Since Ice Warrior’s founding 23 years ago, more than 450 that our part can be proven, improved and expanded upon,” people have been trained, helping scientists discover Arctic implored McNeill. By assessing the extent of anthropogenic change and delivering
-
)
January 2024 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 40OCEAN WARRIOR JIM MCNEILL High quality, precision data is fundamental to Ocean Warrior’s success, and Valeport’s SWiFT CTDplus Chlorophyll pro? ler was the choice due to its simplicity of use, internal rechargeable battery, and an integral GNSS module to geo- locate each pro? le. Using Valeport’s
-
)
January 2024 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 38OCEAN WARRIOR JIM MCNEILL All images copyright Jim McNeill/Global Warrior 38 January/February 2024 MTR #1 (34-49).indd 38 1/30/2024 4:56:02 PM
-
)
January 2024 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 36OCEAN WARRIOR JIM MCNEILL Map of Resolute Expeditions 2023 to 2034 Map courtesy Jim McNeill/Global Warrior 36 January/February 2024 MTR #1 (34-49).indd 36 1/31/2024 1:55:59 PM
-
)
January 2024 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 35JIM MCNEILL: LEADING EARTH’S CITIZEN WARRIORS ACROSS THE SEA By Celia Konowe n the face of intensifying climate change and McNeill, former scientist and internationally renowned associated environmental unknowns, one world British explorer, has more than 36 years of experience travel- explorer has
-
)
January 2024 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 34OCEAN WARRIOR JIM MCNEILL All images copyright Jim McNeill/Global Warrior MTR #1 (34-49).indd 34 1/30/2024 4:07:08 PM
-
)
January 2024 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 2Force Multipliers The Navy needs ‘more players on the ? eld’ and UUVs, from large to small, answer the call. By Edward Lundquist 34 Ocean Warrior Jim McNeill is on a Mission Leading Earth’s citizen warriors across the sea. By Celia Konowe 42 ROVs Navigating the Depths of Innovation Vehicles
-
)
January 2024 - Marine Technology Reporter page: Coverto war? ghting, UUVs take quantum leaps in capability and duration The Rise of Combat AUVs Wave-Generated Offshore Renewable Microgrid Exploration Jim McNeill, Ocean Warrior Batteries Volume 67 Number 1 Thermal Management MarineTechnologyReporter Cover JanFeb2024 v3.indd 1 1/31/2024 8:32:49 A
-
)
November 2023 - Marine News page: 6skills. and environmental issues. He contributes regularly to this magazine. 7 Barry Parker of bdp1 Consulting Ltd provides strategic and tactical 3 Jim Kearns support, including analytics and communications, to of Jones Walker LLP is special counsel in the ? rm’s businesses across the maritime
-
)
September 2023 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 2Solutions 44 Sensor Technology Ltd 50 EvoLogics GmbH 18 Sidus Soutions 56 Exail 25 Silicon Sensing 50 Falmouth Scientifc 25 SMD 52 FAU Harbor Branch, Jim Sullivan 34 Sonardyne 12 Framework Robotics 59 South Bay Cable 72 General Dynamics Mission Systems Bluefn Robotics 15 SubAqua Imaging 56 GeoAcoustics
-
)
October 2023 - Marine News page: 42Tech File Propane Powering Ports with Alternative Energy Source: Propane By Jim Bunsey, Propane Education & Research Council Ef? cient, reliable power supply is essential to port opera- while docked, allowing ships to maintain fundamental ves- tions throughout the world. As research into off-shore
-
)
October 2023 - Marine News page: 6Marine News October 2023 • Volume 34 Number 10 Contributors 1 24 35 9 7 6 8 10 1 Jim Bunsey uting writer for Marine News and MarineLink.com. is the director of commercial business development at the Propane Education & Research Council. 6 Edward Lundquist is a retired naval of? cer who writes
-
)
October 2023 - Marine News page: 242 Tech File: Powering Ports US Offshore Wind Ports 20 Column: Diverse Resources in with Propane Desperate Times By Jim Bunsey 10 Insights: Chad Fuhrmann Blaine Dempke, CEO, Markey 43 Vessels 36 Offshore Vessels: New CTV 15 Washington Watch:
-
)
September 2023 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 16the DOE’s top laboratory for alternative going into the future that may not always be there.” fuel research with our expertise in providing power and pro- Jim Szybist has, for 18 years been the section head for pro- pulsion systems; it’s a really good ? t to try to tackle a problem pulsion science at ORNL
-
)
June 2023 - Marine News page: 6LLP. He is also current 2nd vice president of the Maritime Law Association. 6 Barry Parker of bdp1 Consulting Ltd provides strategic and tactical 3 Jim Kearns support, including analytics and communications, to of Jones Walker LLP is special counsel in the ? rm’s businesses across the maritime
-
)
August 2023 - Marine News page: 6Jennifer McQuilken to this magazine. is a freelance writer and communications professional fo- cusing on the maritime industry and energy sector. She 2 Jim Kearns also shares her hands-on marine experience by teaching of Jones Walker LLP is special counsel in the ? rm’s recreational boating safety
-
)
May 2023 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 38“I would not trade it for what I can do now, which is facilitate science on a much broader scale for all the scientists here and throughout FAU.” – Jim Sullivan, Executive Director, FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Photo Greg Trauthwein It is the “throughout FAU” portion that is key, because
-
)
May 2023 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 35MTR recently traveled to visit with Jim Sullivan, Executive Director, FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, to discuss the work he has done and the work left to do to have this venerable facility’s name become synonymous with the world’s H top echelon of ocean research VAN institutions.
-
)
May 2023 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 34ACADEMIA FAU HARBOR BRANCH OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTE ONE-ON-ONE WITH JIM SULLIV SCIENTIST, RESEARCHE Photo Greg Trauthwein 34 May/June 2023 MTR #4 (34-47).indd 34 6/1/2023 9:15:45 AM
-
)
May 2023 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 4, I requested a Contributing Writers visit to FAU Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, and was welcomed to the facility Kevin Hardy for an interview with Jim Sullivan, Executive Director. Celia Konowe Edward Lundquist Having been in this seat for many years, I ‘knew’ Harbor Branch – or at least I thought
-
)
May 2023 - Marine Technology Reporter page: 2the Waves Marine telemetry is helping out with species management and conservation. By Celia Konowe 34 Academia Scientist, Researcher, Leader Jim Sullivan’s position atop FAU 26 Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute was an unexpected career zig. But he’s embraced the challenge and is building
-
)
May 2023 - Marine Technology Reporter page: Cover.com Marine Telemetry Assisting Species Management & Conservation Next Generation Simon Partridge & the Covelya Group A Scientist & A Leader Jim Sullivan’s Steady Hand at Harbor Branch Bayonet Crawlers Bridge the Surf Zone Gap Volume 66 Number 4 MarineTechnologyReporter Cover MayJune2023
-
)
April 2023 - Marine News page: 5and then grow with Subchapter M. and tactical support, including analytics and communica- tions, to businesses across the maritime spectrum. He is a 3 Jim Kearns freelance writer and regular contributor to this magazine. is special counsel in the ? rm’s Maritime Practice Group, where he focuses on
-
)
February 2023 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 48, tel:(714) 546-3478, David Clark Company (Wireless Headsets / Digital Silicon Sensing Systems Ltd, Clittaford Road Southway, [email protected] contact: Jim Scott, Jr., Intercom Systems), 360 Franklin Street, Worcester, Plymouth, Devon PL6 6DE United Kingdom , UK , tel:+44 www.SecoSeals.com/Marine MA