Hamburg-based shipmanagement software provider Hanseaticsoft is well on track for expansion with its cloud-based software. Following a significant investment by Lloyd’s Register (LR) last year, Hanseaticsoft has grown substantially, with 15 new shipping companies choosing its Cloud Fleet Manager, adding 500 more vessels to its system.
“Cloud technology is the big game changer of the 21st century. It is supporting the digital transformation of the shipping industry, streamlining business and management processes and leading to greater efficiencies and increased profitability,” maintains Alexander Buchmann, managing director of Hanseaticsoft.
Buchmann believes the core value offered by a cloud-based solution is simplicity and the centralisation of data also removes boundaries caused by using different systems.
“Using the cloud, data can be transmitted from the vessels simply and easily. As soon as the data is entered and synchronised it can be transferred to the office and accessed immediately by all people concerned – saving valuable time,” Buchmann explains.
The field of inspections is a good example, Buchmann says. Traditionally, the ship inspections process from boarding the ship to the final results being accessible could take several days, but now with cloud services such as Hanseaticsoft’s Cloud Fleet Manager Inspection Report, inspectors can acquire all observations directly onboard on a tablet or smartphone and the report will be available once the inspectors finish their auditing.
Last month, Hanseaticsoft opened its first Asia office in Singapore as part of its expansion plan, with an aim of helping local shipping companies understand the potential of cloud technology to drive efficiencies in shipmanagement.
Buchmann sees cloud- and web-based systems as the first stage for more innovative, user-friendly and analytical software.
“Based on this and in correlation with the increased availability of internet onboard, we should see some major changes. Especially mobile apps will increase the effectiveness of the crews, reducing the need for manual processes such as the capturing of rest hours, enabling the crew to simply enter their data via mobile apps – further increasing the ease of use and streamlining processes,” Buchmann maintains.
Hanseaticsoft is currently working on a new and enhanced version of its crewing solution, Crewing 2.0 which will enable companies to easily connect on and offshore teams to collaborate on every aspect of crew administration.
Buchmann reckons based on the great quantity of centralised data provided by cloud-based solutions, the next generation of maritime software will be systems supported by artificial intelligence (AI).
“By creating new and innovative software we will continue to accelerate the much needed digital transformation of the maritime industry with our partner Lloyd’s Register, by combining our expertise regarding software and technology with Lloyd’s Register’s maritime know-how of more than 250 years, as being a well-known player in the industry,” Buchmann concludes.
