The document discusses the Marine Industry EDI Initiative started by three barging companies to standardize electronic data interchange between barge companies and service providers. It aims to reduce errors from manual data entry and delays by moving to real-time electronic communication. They formed MarineNET and developed the BargeEx system to allow barging companies and service providers to electronically exchange order, status, and invoice information using EDI standards. Over 65,000 EDI messages are exchanged monthly through BargeEx, benefiting participants through faster, more accurate data sharing. Future goals include expanding participation and standardizing data exchange across related transportation industries and organizations.

1. Marine Industry EDI Initiative
Jim Taylor - MarineNET
February 4, 2009

2. Today’s Objectives
 Understand the “Why” for EDI
 Provide information regarding standardization efforts
within the Barging Industry
 Provide information regarding progress to date
 Foster support to expand the use of EDI within our
Industry

3. What got us started:
Barge Company Issues
 Traffic errors
 Incorrect information from Service Provider
 Data incorrectly entered at Barge Company
 Traffic data delays
 Received from Service Providers next day
 Entered into Barge company 24-36 hours after event
 Employee’s skill sets not utilized
 Dispatchers & Planners performing data entry
Employees under-utilized

Frustrated employees


4. Three Barging Companies
Formed a consortium and discovered the following:

5. Consortium Discovery
 No Data standardization (from Barge Companies or
Service Providers)
 Information requirements varied
 Multiple formats for data fields (e.g. barge names)
 Data sent to multiple sources (e.g. Dispatchers, Planners)
 Structure of data varied (e.g. excel, word, email)
 Time-of-day varied for sent data

6. Consortium Discovery
Standard Method of Communication
FAX, Email or
Phone
order-traffic-invoice
Service Provider
Barge Companies

7. Consortium Discovery
Business Process Flow
 Barge Companies
 Work manually communicated to Service Providers
 Service Providers
 Work is delegated to individuals
 Work is completed and logged
 Logs reviewed and transferred to operational sheets
 Computer systems updated with operational data
 Data email/fax to Barge Company next day
 Invoices produced & sent days or weeks later
 Barge Companies
 Dispatcher updates computer systems by mid-morning

8. Problems
Service Providers
 Work communication time (telephone/email)
 Possible miscommunication/interpretation of work
required
 Rework
 Completed work logged/recorded multiple times
 Completed work transferred to email/fax
 Invoices
 Produced much later than work event
 Possible inaccuracies
Invoice disputed with Barge Companies

Delayed payments


9. Problems
Barge Companies
 Dispatcher work communication time (telephone/email)
 Completed work recorded up 36 hours after event
 Missed opportunities for barge availability with
Customer
 Missed opportunities for Pickup with Mainline boat
 Completed work entered manually into computer
 Possible inaccuracies
 Invoice disputed with Service Providers
 Delayed payments

10. Challenge:
How to Standardize the data between Service Providers & Barge Cos
?
order-traffic-invoice
Dispatch
Service Provider
Barge Companies

11. The Three Consortium Actions
 Contracted with Cornerstone Solutions Group to build
BargeEx™
 Join ASC X-12 – Accredited Standards Committee
 Internationally standards body
 Form MarineNET

12. MarineNET
Who is MarineNET?
What started as a common initiative of AEP River Operations, American
Commercial Lines and Ingram Barge Company in 2005 is now an
organization called MarineNet. MarineNET’s purpose is to facilitate the
initiative on electronic business standards within the marine industry.
MarineNET’s Vision
MarineNet’s vision is to achieve marine industry and enterprise-wide
integration of business processes through seamless electronic business
communication.
MarineNET’s Mission
MarineNet’s mission is to influence the architecture and facilitate
implementation of effective standards and processes for electronic business
communications within the marine industry community. In addition,
MarineNet seeks to leverage the inherent value in existing EDI standards as
well as actively pursue the benefits of emerging e-Business technologies.

13. BargeEx™
BargeEx, a service provided by MarineNET, is a Value
Added Network (VAN) that currently delivers over 65,000
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) messages per month
between barge service providers and their customers.
BargeEx gives you the ability to electronically exchange
order, status and invoice information between your
organization’s system and your customer’s internal
system.

14. Benefits with BargeEx™
 Barge Companies
 Work is electronically communicated to Service
Providers
 Service Providers
 Work can be electronically delegated to individuals
 When work is completed
Electronically update status to Barge Companies

Electronically send Invoices to Barge Companies

 All data electronically sent in “real-time”
 Barge Companies
 Computer systems available for auto updating

15. EDI Communication
BargeEx™
order-traffic-invoice
( EDI based communication)
Dispatch
Service Provider
Barge Companies

16. BargeEx™ Trading Partners
 Service Providers  Committed
 CGB  Brennan
 AEP River Operations
 Calumet
 Cooper
 Decatur Transport
 C&C
 Jantran
 Barge Companies
 Muscle Shoals
 AEP River Operations
 TVT
 American Commercial Lines
 Ingram Barge Company  Upper River
 Testing  Yazoo River Towing
 McGinnis
 IMT
 Hunter
 Triangle

17. Joined ASC X12 standards organization

18. ASC X-12
Marine Industry Task Group
 Understand the business and operation needs of the
Barging Industry
 Develop data standardization that will provide cross-
functional utilization
 Customers, Service Providers, Suppliers, Inter-modal
transportation companies, governmental organizations

19. Future Steps
Take Standardization to the next level
 Encompassing EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)
methodology
 Moving data between companies in a recognized,
standardized and approved format
Not limited to a single industry segment

National standards

Crossing all businesses and transportation modes

Recognized within private and governmental organizations


20. Future Steps
Involvement with additional sectors
 Governmental organizations
 USACE
CRIS & FILS

 EPA
 Industry groups
 AWO - Standards
 Multi-mode Transportation companies
 Rail
 Trucking
 Ocean
 Vendors (non-service providers)
 Charting
 Customers

21. Questions ?
Thank you for your time and attention
 For additional information contact:
Jim Taylor
MarineNET
1734 Clarkson Rd #242
St. Louis, MO 63017
314-495-5055
jim@bargeex.com