Smart ties up with ship crew mgm’t firm

Leading wireless services operator Smart Communications has signed an agreement with the Philippine Transmarine Carriers (PTC), one of the country’s largest ship crew management companies, to provide over 26,000 Filipino seafarers with customized wireless communication services.

“From our experience in interacting directly with Filipino seafarers, we are aware of how increasingly valuable communication has become for them. We are glad to strengthen our business partnership with PTC with the introduction of Smart customized services,” Smart chief wireless advisor Orlando Vea said.

The telco leader has been working closely with PTC in providing seafarers access to Smart Link, the country’s first and only prepaid satellite phone service, to stay connected to their families even while at sea.

Officials said the customized Smart Pinoy SIM for the seafarers, Smart Buddy SIMs for their families, and the InfoBoard, a web-based group broadcast service offered only by Smart, will work together to provide PTC the fastest, most affordable, and most reliable means to send crucial information to seafarers and their families, as well as collect feedback from them.

PTC can easily customize and manage the content according to their need and preference; they can post messages on the Infoboard, which can then be picked up by the seafarer or his family through a text query to access number 7000-PTC (7000-782). Users of the customized Smart Pinoy SIM PTC SIM and their families will also have access to special call and text rates, officials added.

PTC has over 26,000 officers and crew deployed to vessels afloat around the world. “We manage the lifetime careers of our officers and crew, send them on board the best ships, and take care of their families. But the biggest challenge to them is being away from their family, and having a stable means of communication with them is always a priority,” PTC chairman and CEO Carlos Salinas said.