Cloud-Technology Revolutionises Fleet And Crew Management
Cloud-technology is transforming the business and management processes at leading shipping company, Norddeutsche Reederei H. Schuldt, who has been using Cloud Fleet Manager (CFM), developed by Hanseaticsoft, a leading provider of maritime software, since 2015.
Norddeutsche Reederei H. Schuldt is a 150-year-old shipping company with a modern fleet of 51 vessels and approx. 1,200 employees (ashore & sea). It introduced Cloud Fleet Manager as it recognised that sustainable competitive advantage in the future could among other things be achieved with the use of modern and intuitive software.
Cloud Fleet Manager offered a single platform through which the company could manage its entire fleet. The system centralises data and information so it can be viewed, analysed and processed by staff on the ships and on shore in real time using apps and mobile devices. It has improved communications, operational processes and enabled better collaboration between staff.
The software integrates with the company’s existing systems and processes and can be accessed via a web browser at the office, while simultaneously offering an application for use at sea, the Cloud Ship Manager (CSM).
Elif Güçhan, Project Manager at Norddeutsche Reederei H. Schuldt says, “Our challenge was to find a platform that would minimise data redundancies and address communication gaps. We wanted to have consistent, high quality data accessible for everyone in the company.”
“We needed a solution that could be accessed over the internet using tablets and phones regardless of location and time and Cloud Fleet Manager meets these requirements. It has enabled us to improve the quality of our management, and at the same time we have achieved a noticeable reduction of the workload for employees on land and at sea.”
The company first introduced the Cloud Fleet Manager portal, schedule & agent and Crewing application, enabling faster collaboration between staff on the ships and on shore managing areas such as crew planning and rotation, staff payroll and the appraisals of seamen. The system ensures that up to date and accurate data is available immediately wherever it is needed.”
Following up on this the company has added new modules including Operations, Offhires. Through Cloud Fleet Manager and Cloud Ship Manager managers at Norddeutsche Reederei H. Schuldt can distribute tasks according to requirements in a more flexible way. For example, schedules or agencies can be administrated both at sea and on land, and there is complete transparency of information.
The next application that is currently being introduced by the company is Inspections & Audits which will enable inspections and audits to be carried out quickly and easily using mobile devices, which will save the company considerable time and resources.
Elif Güçhan, Project Manager at Norddeutsche Reederei H. Schuldt adds, “Having clear visibility of our data and a 360° overview of the business is helping us operate successfully and remain competitive in the constantly changing maritime market. Using the CFM we could already achieve an increase in efficiency of approximately 30%.”
Alexander Buchmann, Managing Director of Hanseaticsoft says, ““Shipping companies like Norddeutsche Reederei H. Schuldt are realising the huge benefits the cloud offers in terms of improving communications, data access and enhancing collaboration, and more companies will be making use of this technology to improve business efficiencies and to remain competitive in the future.”
Press Release/Norddeutsche Reederei H. Schuldt
