Page 18: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (March 2019)

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INSIGHTS: DIGITALIZATION

Alexander Buchmann

Alexander Buchmann founded Hanseaticsoft in 2009 to develop software solutions for shipping companies. Since March 2017,

Lloyd’s Register one of the world’s largest ship classi? cation societies, holds a share in the company.

Digitalization & A Connected Workplace Culture echnology, from mobile to The idea that businesses could just buy cloud to social media, have all a piece of software and instantly increase had an enormous impact on the productivity is appealing. But funda-

Tway companies operate and mentally, digital transformation is about interact with their staff and customers. changing how teams work together, not

However, research from technology me- only what technology they’re using to dia company IDG, found that while 89% get that work done.

of companies plan to adopt a digital-? rst A report by the Seafarers International strategy, only 44% of them have actually Research Center found that part of the done it. effective operation of a modern vessel is

While the shipping industry has been determined by the quality of the relation- slow to adopt digital technology, there ships between shore side personnel and are signs this is changing. According to sea staff and recommended companies

Images: Hanseaticsoft

The cloud is helping solve this, as it is seamen, digital data is always up-to-date the Navis Business Bellwether report – take steps to address the gulf between enabling information to be centralized and available where it is needed.

an ongoing benchmark study designed ship and shore personnel in order to im- and made accessible no matter where The cloud is also helping companies to track the perceptions, intentions and prove ship-shore relations.

mind set of the global maritime industry Cloud technology is doing just this for staff are based. It is ensuring that sys- automate and improve tasks such as – approximately 90% of respondents ex- shipping and helping land and sea teams tems and processes are integrated and purchasing and stock planning as well data silos removed – allowing operators as complying with regulations such pect their company to increase technol- work together more ef? ciently. Cloud- ogy spending this year and 56% indicate based software is enabling companies to to gain a complete 360-degree overview as keeping track of waste, sewage and spending will increase by six percent optimise the management of their entire of their ? eet and entire operations. And sludge disposals. Even staff well-being or more. Investing in technology, par- ? eet, automate their processes, improve most importantly, this is changing how can be addressed using cloud applica- ticularly cloud technology, could bring their communications, increase their information is exchanged and accessed. tions, as crew shifts and rest periods can

There is no more need to send emails be tracked to ensure companies comply tremendous bene? ts to shipping compa- business performance, improve opera- back and forth, requesting or forwarding with industry guidelines and standards.

nies – improving collaboration between tional ef? ciencies and drive down costs. information. Data that is entered at one One company bene? ting from cloud teams on shore and at sea and creating The cloud is having a signi? cant im- a connected workplace culture that sup- pact on the way companies now operate end is automatically available to every- technology is the Peter Döhle Group, a ports strategic business goals. However, and will in the future. One of the major body else using a cloud-based solution. provider of shipping services with more

Shipping companies using the cloud than 500 vessels. As a global company, companies need to be mindful of how issues for companies is that tasks are they approach digitalization. carried out by both land and sea teams have information available in real-time the Peter Döhle Group demands safe, which can lead to a lack of transparency regardless of time or location, reducing secure and quick information ? ows be- time spent on administration. tween all relevant parties ashore and at

Changing Teamwork and overview across all departments. sea.

A recent blog post on Slack, the work The challenge has been how to inte-

Cloud Tech in Practice The company wanted to integrate and collaboration hub, on what digital trans- grate the systems and processes of differ-

A major bene? t of cloud technology is align information about its vessels and formation means for companies high- ent departments to a central data source. lighted that many companies who ap- For example, the same information the improved communication between data from external partners with its inter- proach digital transformation focus on might get requested multiple times from staff on board ships and those in head of- nal company processes in one platform, the digital – the platforms and processes the captain, which forces him to respond ? ce, so whether that’s crew planning, the plus have accurate and up to date ? eet execution of payroll or the evaluation of management information for all parties – rather than the transformation part. manually to each request.

18 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • MARCH 2019

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