The maritime sector is a busy, many-sided industry that makes transport by water possible worldwide. In a world that moves this fast, registering, communicating and invoicing data digitally has become important. Those processes are the backbone of speed and clarity in the nautical world.
A lot of it has always been done by hand. Retyping data is more the rule than the exception, and the margin of error that comes with it is often high. We cannot afford that any more, certainly not now that good, experienced people are hard to find.
1: Rules around data matter more than ever
Safety comes first. Recording data about ships and ship visits, cargo and port services properly is what keeps you in line with national and international regulations. That way you know everything runs to the rules. And because it all sits in one place, the data is easy to maintain and easy to use again later, as evidence or for a report.
2: Detail in the operation puts you ahead
A well-kept database of ship movements and cargo information helps you plan better, and so do task lists that flag themselves for things like pre-arrival work. Because the data updates itself through connections with the pilot organisation, port management systems and our AIS processing, you predict arrival and departure times more accurately and see in good time when something needs to be deployed. That keeps things moving in the port, and it saves money.
3: Happy customers are the best business strategy
Happy customers matter in every sector, and the maritime world is no exception. Record data accurately and avoid mistakes, and you deliver your customers better work.
Invoicing quickly and clearly is part of that, and so is a clear view of what is coming in and going out right now. It helps your customers understand their costs and keep them under control. Sending interim reports, or letting a customer see where a request stands through the SHIPM8 customer portal, is part of the job today.
By using SHIPM8, our process steps are more LEAN, allowing us to generate more quantity with the same requested quality. With SHIPM8 we communicate with our colleagues, customers and suppliers from one platform, allowing us to maintain an overview of our process.
Rory Balkema, Managing Director
Processing our invoices was time-intensive and manual. With SHIPM8 we have automated and streamlined our invoicing process, minimising the margin of error and allowing us to focus on what really matters: providing high-quality services to our customers in the cruise world.
Alexander Coesel, Manager Logistics and Sales
The SHIPM8 planning board gives us a clear overview of all our activities and personnel planning in one place. This has helped us organise our work more efficiently and complete our projects on time, which in turn leads to satisfied customers and an improvement in our business results.
Paul Danklof, Authorised Partner
4: Better invoicing wins back time, money and people
In a competitive industry like shipping you have to watch the costs. Recording services properly and invoicing customers correctly helps you keep your finances in hand. And being able to react to changes in an arrival or departure schedule saves money.
Take a rented crane: you pay for it by time of use. If a ship runs late, that crane stands on the quay half a day with nobody using it. That costs. Put standard actions and messages into templates and you save time and a lot of retyping. Good staff are hard to find, so the pressure on the port agents in the office is high. Saving time and working better go hand in hand here: getting more done with the same people, or fewer.
5: Clarity leaves room for growth and trust
Recording data is not only about now, it lays the groundwork for later. Collect and analyse your data and you spot trends early, improve how you work, and make decisions that take the business further. The reporting module in SHIPM8 gives you a view of all your own data in the platform, so you can set a course on the back of it.
In short: recording, communicating and invoicing accurately is worth a lot in the maritime sector. You stay within the rules, work faster, keep customers happy with clear communication and readable reports, keep costs in hand because you plan more sharply, and store everything centrally and digitally for later.
In a world where data decides things, nobody in the maritime sector can get around it. Digitise these processes through our SaaS platform SHIPM8 and it becomes easier to grow. Work from a laptop at the quayside, for instance, and you have everything to hand and can act faster.
Are you at the start of going digital in your maritime organisation? Or ready for the next step?
Book an appointment or a demo, and we will show you how SHIPM8 has helped other nautical service providers.
About SHIPM8
SHIPM8 is the complete SaaS platform for port agents, terminals and maritime service providers. For years we have been helping the port community run its communication and information flow better.
SHIPM8 is built for maritime companies and gives you the freedom of a custom solution, without the long lead times and high costs that usually come with it.
The SHIPM8 team includes developers who know what happens in a port. That lets us turn maritime data, ideas and wishes into platforms, dashboards and systems you actually work with. With SHIPM8 you digitise, automate and improve all your processes.
Your world is our world. We speak ship.