SHIP AGENTS Me: The emphasis moves onto e-commerce systems for ship agents. A far flung little corner of the maritime industry which previously had been avoided by the e-commerce dragon is now under full attack, with at least four commercial systems on the market. The systems are not particularly special, in that they do not offer anything mind-numbing, just tools for making business run more smoothly. But having said that, conventional collaborative workflow tools can do a hell of a lot for ship agents. Banking problems (disbursement account); the agent pays money upfront and the shipping company pays it later Use IT to speed up flow and accuracy of information OASIS: port agency management software system, operations and accounts. Developed by OBC shipping Liner agency software Hamburg-based Softship has a tool for How shipping companies and liner agents can get business advantages. Optimising everyday business procedures Integrated computer solutions aim to optimise everyday business procedures for liner agents and shipping companies: software modules specially designed to meet customer requirements make countless routine tasks easier for users and guarantee the fast, error-free processing or transfer of relevant data. The result: efficient handling of shipping data from the submission of quotes to the final documentation process. In the course of the continuing enhancement of the LINE/CS application software of Softship, the Haulage module has been extended significantly: This software tool for professional handling of transport orders provides the agent with the capability of handling containers automatically and interdepartmentally. Throughout the process, the data are also available to other LINE/CS modules - such as those for bookings, documentation or transport. Softship's LINE application software supports liner agents from the beginning: with just a few mouse clicks, users can convert quotes to accounts entries, for example, or shipping documents, freight and cargo manifests or seafreight invoices. After shipment, the invoice information can then simply be forwarded to the financial accounts department and, if necessary, to the payment reminders system. LINE also helps principals to optimise data exchange with their agents. The heart of the module is the data transfer between the agent and the shipping companies. The electronically transmitted data from quotations, accounts entries and documentation can be automatically checked by the shipping company. Any discrepancies, for example, between accounts entries and quotations, or between invoice data and accounts entry information, are picked up by the system immediately and displayed. The processing of hazardous cargo is as much an integral part of the application as is EDI with shipowners, customers, carriers and government agencies. Electronic data interchange is an important part of modern data processing. It is the only way to dispense with multiple entries of the same data. Should a carrier, for example, capture all the necessary B/L data, all the subsequent players in the transport chain will profit from it. They can then simply enter this data directly into their EDP systems for further processing. This minimizes both the manual effort and error rate. As quick as a mouse click, AIDA takes care of accounts settlement with the shipowner. This is made possible with the Advanced Integrated Disbursements Account module. If there is a link to the agent application and accounting, the user needs only capture incoming invoices, if these cannot otherwise be received electronically. Using the data on-hand, AIDA automatically generates the paperwork for settling accounts with the shipowners. The manual efforts involved in the agencies are kept to a minimum. AIDA includes an additional calculation module for the shipowner. A Container Control application is available region-based for the agent or with a worldwide viewpoint for the shipowner. All relevant data are managed centrally: In addition to giving a precise description of the container, this system also updates customer data or book-keeping information. The Container History displays individual movements. The application allows users to carry out different evaluations, making it easy to find out information about utilisation, costs or co-ordination. In addition, the software has the capability of reliable demurrage / detention accounting: the computer automatically calculates the fees. With ATLANTIS Softship recently added an application for claims handling to its portfolio. If a claim is reported, the agent uses a few keyboard strokes to create a new file assigning it to the respective voyage. The application supports the agent with repeat format functions, clear listings, ingenious search options and a reliable accounting of the time expended. It turns successful claims processing into child's play. Softship AG specialises in the development and distribution of computer solutions for shipping. The company was established in 1989 and currently employs a staff of 35 in Hamburg and 12 in Singapore. Softship is an international company, with agencies in Europe and South America. Customers include traditional independent liner agencies such as Menzell Schiffsmakler & Co or Karl Geuther, both from Hamburg, plus, for example, the entire European network of Mitsui O.S.K. Lines. ((Further information for readers: Contact for editors: Softship AG Sympra GmbH, Veronika Höber/Veit Mathauer Albert-Einstein-Ring 9 Dieselstraße 7 22761 Hamburg 70771 Leinfelden-Echterdingen Tel. 040 / 89 06 80 Tel. 0711 / 9 47 67 - 0 Fax 040 / 89 03 400 Fax 0711 / 7 97 88 19 e-mail: team_ham@Softship.de e-mail: vhoeber@sympra.de If you publish this press release, please let Sympra have a copy.)) 1 Seaforce notes Eduardo Silva 1986: SsY opened an office in Colombia, I was the manager Since 1990 we cam into a different agreement My company became their agents in Colombia for coal chartering We're not owned by SSY but have a special agreement. Our agreement since 1986 has been shipbrokers for different people. We export from Colombia about 30m tonnes a year of coal We are a small broking house. Our service is more personal. Part of a charterers neeeds is to solve the demurrage problem. When you charter a ship, normally you agree a certain time to load and dischare 3 days loading, 5 days for dischargine. That time has been assimilated into the frieght value Normally set a loading rate So many tons per day But noody knows how long the vessel will stay at port it may have to wait for 20 days These caluclations are boring, its a pain in the nect Nobody likes to do it In the owner's office, you have someone who runs the laytime caluclations Charterers, when they receive a bill for demurrage, they don't want to lose time Theis noegitation can take 5-6 months and the owner cannot get the money. When a vessel is at port, the ship agents makes a log of what happened at port. Called statement of Facts. The vesel loading birthing station. The master signs the document, the charterer signs the document. The agent stamps it. This beomces the tool to analyse how long the vessel stays at the port. Who's fault it was that there were more stoppages Every fact reflects/ implies responsibility. A notice of readiness: a master syas, I am ready for discharge. Laytime calculation: inptu the data into software that calulcatioes It will say how many days the vessel was at port This is all used as the means of working out how much things cost. Smart documents SOF 24 (24 hours report) The agent has to fill out the report 24 hours a day The agent edits to SOF online, on seaforce.com. Vessel owners can log onto the site and wfind out what's happening. Put in electroinic photographs, eg damage to cargo, leak in the hold Hosted in the US An owner can look for all their ships Aim at quickly solving the disputer Click on the ship and view the statement of fact Looks very similar to the printed and typed ones Will work Charter party calculation Which party Choose all the factors, whether or not they cost Takes less than a minute to go through it all In the past you would sit down for hours, SOFs can run to 4/5 pages Put a banner about your agency at the top A few people are lalready using it Several agencies in COlombia, one owner, Agents in Chile and Peru United Bulk Carriers. $1700 per annual license fee About 200 SOFs have been issued already over the system That is not too many Some agents are surprised that this exists It is part of human nature rtesitstance to change Some people find it difficult Its not only that a tool that makes life esimple If whoever is using it is ia young guy, its simple and easy for them A mtatter ofswitching your mind to another way of tdoing the same thing. Developed in Bogota I believe any serious website needs to have a backup systems The host we are using is in the US We are using a mirror host Every week there is a backup file in a 3rd computer in Europe in internet you never finished building anything It has been on for about a month We are already working on project no 2 Webmaster full time SAomeone full time selling There is a comercial problem which is minor but which is a head ache If you have a small ship Fir every voyage the vessel satys 1 wek of 15 days If the demurrage is not agreed in 2 months Thoese 2 days are more than the potential profit of that owner on that voyage It is not the agents job to understand the data But they just type i t in