In the maritime sector, efficiency and oversight are crucial. Yet, many companies still rely on scattered Excel sheets and paper-based administration. This often leads to mistakes, delays and frustration. How can digitalization make a difference? We asked our clients.
From chaos to control
“We had many different programs and spreadsheets,” says Kobus Christianen of Bark EUROPA. “We are in the office, the ship is everywhere and we also work from home regularly. Sometimes we arrived at ports with incorrect information. It became impossible to keep track.” This issue is familiar to many businesses. Manual systems make it difficult to keep essential data such as maintenance schedules and certificates up to date. Digitalization offers a solution.
Why digitalize?
A digital fleet management system centralizes all important data. This ensures that both onboard crews and office staff always have access to accurate and consistent information. It not only reduces errors but also makes it easier to manage certificates, schedule maintenance and monitor costs.
Amachree Opubo of Ejovi Marine Services highlights its importance: “We used to handle everything manually and often missed crucial information. Now we can monitor everything in real time and take action before problems arise.”
Keeping certificate management in order
One major advantage of a digital solution is keeping certificates up to date. “In the past, my father only needed one certificate on board. Nowadays, every ship requires at least 129 certificates,” says Gertjan Kornet of EemsWerken. These must always be up-to-date and available and a digital system helps ensure compliance.
“Every two weeks there is essentially an audit on our ships,” says Gertjan. “MXSuite automatically notifies us when certificates need renewal. This way, we are always prepared and avoid surprises during inspections.” Pol Jaumot of Great Southern Sea agrees: “If the captain doesn’t pay attention to the certificates, we now receive an alert.”
From reactive to proactive maintenance
In addition to certificate management, a digital solution also enables the shift from reactive to proactive maintenance. By analyzing real-time data trends can be identified and maintenance tasks can be scheduled before failures occur.
“For example, we notice when the capacity of a ballast water pump is decreasing,” shares Gertjan Kornet of EemsWerken. “Thanks to the digital system we can act quickly and proactively check similar pumps. This helps us prevent bigger problems.”
Where to start?
Transitioning to digital fleet management doesn’t have to happen all at once. Start by assessing current processes and determining which data is most essential. Set priorities, involve employees in the process and provide appropriate training, such as through an e-learning platform.
Digitalization is not just a technological step but an opportunity to improve processes, save time and enhance operational reliability. As Kornet puts it: “MXSuite is the highway of our company. It brings order to daily operations and provides the insight we need.”
Want to learn more? Contact Henry for a demo — he’s happy to help!
