Videotel’s Ballast Water Management Programme Updated to Help Ships Comply with Newly Ratified Global Treaty

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. and LONDON, Oct. 03, 2016 -- Videotel^TM, a KVH company (Nasdaq:KVHI), has revised its ballast water management (BWM) training package to address the requirements of the International Maritime Organization’s newly ratified BWM Convention, a global treaty that is designed to stop the spread of invasive species from ships’ ballast water.

Beginning next year, all ships engaged in international trade will need: a ballast water management plan to remove or neutralize harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens; an International Ballast Water Management Certificate; and, an onboard record book to prove compliance.

Videotel’s training package, Ballast Water Management, Edition 2, available immediately, covers BWM plan implementation including proper record keeping and the need for operator training on a compliant onboard system to treat ballast water and eliminate unwanted organisms. The Videotel programme also describes various approved ballast water management systems that are appropriate for different types of vessels.

“I am really pleased that Videotel is ahead of the game with our updated programme in readiness for the entry into force of this Convention,” says Nigel Cleave, CEO of Videotel. “I urge all ship owners and ship managers to take advantage of our programme now and not wait until the ratification due date, as it may leave insufficient time for them to choose which system is suitable for their vessels and ensure their crews are properly trained to ensure compliance.”

The Ballast Water Management Convention will enter into force in September 2017; it has been under consideration for many years, as understanding has grown of the environmental impact from invasive species carried in ballast water. The design of cargo vessels for decades has included the requirement to carry water as ballast to ensure the ship’s stability, and the water is routinely taken in and discharged at different places around the world by ships engaged in international trade.

Videotel’s training solutions are in use on more than 12,000 vessels worldwide, and include 950 new and updated titles to meet current seafarer training needs. The Videotel programmes are available in a range of formats, including 500+ e-Learning courses, more than twice the number of computer-based training (CBT) programmes offered by competitors. Videotel’s Basic Training Package of 20 essential maritime training programmes is available via KVH’s IP-MobileCast^TM content delivery service, which utilises multicasting technology to deliver news, entertainment, and operations content without using vessels’ monthly airtime data allotments.

Videotel has been a leader in developing training material since 1973 when the Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO), the forerunner to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), wanted to improve the quality of training materials available to seafarers and called on the company’s services. Videotel has recorded more than 11 million training events in recent years, and its training programmes have been recognized with nearly 100 awards.

Note to Editors: To see a trailer of Videotel’s Ballast Water Management, Edition 2, visit the Videotel YouTube channel. For more information about Videotel, please visit the Videotel website. For more information about KVH’s complete maritime solution, please visit KVH’s mini-VSAT Broadband website. High-resolution images of KVH products are available at the KVH Press Room Image Library.

About KVH Industries, Inc.
KVH Industries is a leading provider of in-motion satellite TV and communications systems, having designed, manufactured, and sold more than 200,000 mobile satellite antennas for applications on vessels, vehicles, and aircraft. KVH is also a leading news, music, and entertainment content provider to many industries including maritime, retail, and leisure. Videotel, a KVH company, is a market-leading provider of training films, computer-based training and e-Learning. KVH is based in Middletown, RI, with research, development, and manufacturing operations in Middletown, RI, and Tinley Park, IL. The company’s global presence includes offices in Belgium, Brazil, Cyprus, Denmark, Hong Kong, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

KVH, Videotel, and IP-MobileCast are trademarks of KVH Industries, Inc. mini-VSAT Broadband is a service mark of KVH Industries, Inc.

For further information, please contact:
Jill Connors 
Media and Industry Analyst Manager
KVH Industries, Inc.
Tel: +1 401-851-3824
[email protected]
or
Phil Page, Elaborate Communications
Tel: +44 (0) 1296 682104
[email protected]