ABS Nautical Systems has launched an updated version of its fleet management software called NS5 Enterprise, which features enhanced functionality for maintenance and survey data based on input from tanker operators. The software allows for improved monitoring of vessel performance and status. ShipNet has also enhanced its Voyage Estimator software to help owners quickly evaluate potential cargo voyages and calculate costs and profits. System suppliers are working to develop more flexible and customizable software to better meet owners' needs.

1. 30 I Tanker Shipping & Trade I August/September 2011 www.tankershipping.com
A
BS Nautical Systems (NS) has launched
its next generation of fleet management
software, NS5 Enterprise, with
additional functions for maintenance and survey
data. Tanker operators were at the heart of ABS
NS’ year and a half of development and testing
of the program.
Existing NS5 software has been enhanced
with a new architecture and more user-friendly
interfaces. This includes on-screen dashboards
enablingmanagerstoexaminethekeyperformance
indicators and fleet-wide access to the latest
maintenance, supply chain, safety and personnel
data. The client front end is a combination of
network-linked thin clients – monitors and
keyboards – linked to host servers and base
databases, says Fernando Lehrer, ABS NS vice
president responsible for product development.
“NS5 Enterprise is an improved version of
NS5 with new coding, revamped architecture
and better graphics. We redeveloped NS5 from
an infrastructure perspective, to make it more
reliable and robust. We improved the graphical
interface as our users are either going into
the system to review information, or they are
entering information into the system on board
the ships,” Mr Lehrer explains.
Captains and chief engineers will enter
information such as incident reports, part orders,
and work order completions. ABS’, NS5 Enterprise
can be used for recording daily operating
information such as fuel consumption, position
data, and the condition of the ship equipment
and structures, such as decks and tanks.
“Officers have huge workloads to manage
ships, so we wanted to make it easy for them
to input the data. Superintendents want
quantitative indicators of how vessels are
performing. They want to receive operational
data on their assets in real time, so we provide
graphical dashboards that are immediately
useable so shore managers, who can navigate
around the information.”
NS5 Enterprise contains two new features
– the ability to support condition-based
maintenance (CBM) management strategies and
integration with ABS’ survey data. “We provided
new functionality for machinery health checks,
allowing NS5 Enterprise to interface with CBM
programs. Operators can see how vessels are
performing in their class status, see upcoming
surveys, inspections and certification due dates.
Ship operators can download pre-survey check
sheets to allow crew to assess the ship, while
looking at what the surveyor will be inspecting,
and make any required changes,” says Mr Lehrer.
Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG) was a key
contributor in trialling the software. OSG has
used NS software for 11 years for maintenance,
procurement, crew management, payroll, quality
assurance and vetting, says head of international
shipping operations, Ian Blackley.
“It is essential to have a database system to
manage the fleet, replicated in our operating
offices in Florida, Newcastle, Athens and head
office New York, and our training centre in
Manila. In this way we can monitor training,
manage crew, procurement of equipment and
maintenance, and continue our high quality,”
says Capt Blackley. “We asked for more
functionality and they have done this. So we are
looking forward to using NS5 Enterprise for our
fleet requirements.”
OSG has integrated the NS5 procurement
module with ShipServ to streamline ordering of
supplies and has benefited from the program’s
maintenance modules. “In terms of maintenance,
we have a hierarchy database that has information
ofallequipmentonthevesselsandspares.Standard
work orders can be raised, chief engineers can plan
jobs. And any issue or condition problems found
can be entered into NS5, and this information
is available for all superintendents and fleet
managers,” Capt Blackley explains.
“Quality is an enormous focus for us. We
have internal and external audits that are
entered into NS5. Non-conformities can be
logged and closed out. This can be accessed by
System suppliers are involving
owners at an early stage in the
development of their software
by Martyn Wingrove
IT fleet management software
New software has greater
functionality for owners
Sovcomflot uses ShipNet and SpecTec procurement
software for its tankers, including SCF Baltica

2. Tanker Shipping & Trade I August/September 2011 I 31www.tankershipping.com
everyone in any of our offices. We track all near
misses as part of our safety culture. This allows
us to put lessons learnt into practice through
training and prioritise on the high frequency
near misses.”
Tanker operator Euronav Ship Management
(Hellas) is another happy user of ABS NS
software. It has used Hull Inspection module
since 2009 on 11 ships. In August, Euronav said
it would expand the program across the fleet.
“Prior to implementing Hull Inspection
module, we used hard-copy forms that made it
difficult to organise, assess and identify conditions.
Now, we are able to see the actual drawings of
the vessel with improved visibility of hot spots
and critical areas,” says Euronav’s fleet technical
manager, Theodore Mavraidis. “Hull Inspection
enables us to systematically examine and grade
the hull structure of each vessel, providing fleet-
wide statistics and trends. Each of our offices can
create an inspection report, to attach photos, make
corrections, and upload reports, thereby gaining
real experience of how the program works.”
Software supplier ShipNet has enhanced
its Voyage Estimator program to enable tanker
operators to scan available cargoes to calculate
costs and profits for their ships. For charterers,
the software highlights available tankers at the
time of cargo loading and shows the preferred
route and cost.
“Owners are going after all available
cargoes to make competitive bids. Our new
Voyage Estimator package means they can do
this quickly and accurately,” says ShipNet’s
marketing director Ian Synge. “The ability to
drag and drop cargoes onto a vessel [on screen]
and get a really quick calculation on costs and
profits means an operator can get information
rapidly on the profits of a potential charter.”
The ability to make quick decisions is vital
for tanker owners in the present market as it
could be the difference between surviving and
having idle tonnage, says Mr Synge.
“It is a buyers market. It is challenging
for owners to find profitable uses for
their vessel because charter rates are
barely above the bunker prices. Tankers
kept at anchorage will haemorrhage
money so operators are willing to take
almost any cargoes to make money.
The question for operators is how to
keep a vessel moving and making a
profit until the market bounces back.”
Operators can add their own
information from experience of voyages
or ports. They can also calculate the
additional costs from making voyage
changes to avoid piracy. “Operators can
add their experience in various ports of
turnaround times, or experience with
demurrage and lay-up time, slow port
loading/unloading and delays could be
added,” Mr Synge explains.
“Voyage Estimator allows operators to plot
their route away from risk, or conflict areas.
It calculates the extra costs for avoiding these
areas, or going into emission control areas,
where it would be costly to burn low sulphur
fuel, such as off California or Europe.
According ShipNet product manager, Frank
Otterstad, the software can perform sensitivity
analysis, “An operator can change some of
the parameters – the worldscale rate, or cargo
quantity, bunker prices, etc and see this in a
matrix. If vessels have to wait in a port, the
software will show the consequences of that.”
ShipNet introduced Version 11 of Voyage
Estimator this summer, and is working on
introducing a web-based version in 2012. “Version
11 is Windows-based platform and an operator
would need as a minimum a laptop with database
program, some form of SQL (structured query
language), or Oracle platform. Our aim is to
make Voyage Estimator entirely web-based so
an operator would only need a laptop with an
internet browser,” explains Mr Synge.
“We will be developing Version 12 as a
Windows-based program in 2012. Then we
will be shifting Voyage Estimator to a web-
based platform. Later this year, we will also be
developing ways to add third party data and
services. We are looking at integrating other
information such as live bunker prices, likely
to be delivered in 2012. We could use parent
company Inchcape Shipping Services’ (ISS)
global agency network as it is about bringing in
structural data on bunker quality and prices.”
There was interest from owners and
charterers for Voyage Estimator after ShipNet
demonstrated the program on YouTube in
August. Dutch chemical tanker operator North
Sea Tankers was one of the first to use the
software and at least 10 other shipowners have
asked for proposals. The minimum cost for a
user licence is US$6,000, says Mr Synge.
ISS has upgraded its World of Ports
software with a port cost calculation tool.
With this, an operator can add enter in a
vessel’s parameters for a given port
and generate a cost breakdown for
a given port call, says ISS sales
manager Jeff Clark.
RussiantankeroperatorSovcomflot
(SCF) uses ShipNet’s software for
its purchasing and procurement
requirements, along with SpecTec’s
Amos Enterprise Suite for planned
maintenance, safety and quality, says
managing director of SCF Unicom,
Nikolai Spichenok. From fleet
management software suppliers, he
wants to see more improvements.
“We need more flexibility and for
software to be made configurable
to individual customers’ needs,
minimising paper consumption, by
the use of electronic documents and
approvals,” he adds. TST
ABS Nautical Systems’ NS5 Enterprise
has been trialled on tankers
Handheld devices and maintenance
SpecTec has launched a new fleet
management product for handheld devices
on vessels. Amos Mobile enables users
to record transactions, stock levels and
equipment maintenance remotely, then
upload this data to Amos Enterprise Suite.
Crew can remotely record work requests
and equipment condition.
There are two business modules, one
for inventory monitoring and the other
for maintenance reports. The software
runs on the Windows Mobile OS.
SpecTec’s mobile device has a Sybase
database that contains all data entered
by crew members. The user can configure
communication between the device and
the PC and choose the preferred language
for the software.
Amos Mobile can integrate photos from
handheld devices with work orders and
readings from equipment bar codes, which
are increasingly found in enginerooms.
SpecTec product development director
Jostein Ullestad says, “Amos Mobile
will simplify the process of performing
inventory control and readings of counters
and gauges. If there are any concerns
with the equipment which need to be
addressed, the user simply requisitions
work right there and can take a picture.”