Tanker Pacific Propels Ahead With Microsoft Exchange 
http://www.microsoft.com/singapore/mssg_docs/524.asp

Shipping company maximises ship efficiencies using reliable communication system.

Tanker Pacific, one of Asia's foremost commercial shipping companies, transports crude oil cargoes in a geographical territory extending from the Suez Canal to Japan and the U.S.A. The company's advanced fleet of 45 vessels consists of Ultra Large Carriers (ULCCs), Very Large Carriers (VLCCs), and other smaller vessels. 

Over the past 10 years, Tanker Pacific's business has grown significantly. The company's business strategy is heavily customer- and operations-oriented. By implementing an efficient ship management system, Tanker Pacific has attained a competitive advantage in a very demanding business environment. 

To manage the growth of its business, Tanker Pacific placed strong emphasis in computerisation and information technology to make the difference. Mr John Koh, MIS Manager at Tanker Pacific, says: 'Although our business has grown about 4 to 5 times, by utilising IT, we have not had to hire as many staff. Through computerisation, particularly through investing in business critical applications, we have been able to speed up our work processes significantly.' 

A Critical Ship Communication System 
Putting in place an ultra-efficient communication system, both internally and for external purposes, has been integral to enhancing operations and keeping costs down. Given the criticality of communication and information sharing to Tanker Pacific's business, the importance of a comprehensive messaging platform cannot be understated. Mr Koh stresses: 'Communication is the lifeline of our company. Our ships could be in the middle of the ocean and we need to be able to establish regular contact with them. We must have the capacity to react in the fastest possible time.' 

'The rich functionality in Microsoft Exchange allows us to significantly enhance operations. Given that we were already utilising other Microsoft applications such as Word and Excel, implementing Exchange was easier. A singular interface was also important to us, in order to manage an overflowing amount of information. And we felt that Exchange was open enough to allow us to integrate with other third-party shipping products.' 

Latest vessel information every time 
anker Pacific has already started the process of installing Microsoft Exchange for all its vessels as well. The advantage of having an efficient messaging system, to communicate with any of Tanker Pacific's 45 ships around the world, drives operation costs down. 

Mr Koh elaborates: 'The cost of an email via Exchange is significantly less compared with the cost of a telex or fax. The cost of a one-page fax to a ship is in the region of US$10 per page, compared with US$2 or US$3 for an email. Using telex also restricted us, as we were charged by the number of characters we sent. In contrast, Exchange allows us to attach spreadsheets, status reports or other files carrying valuable information on ship-related matters such as crew pay roll and food consumption. We are able to tap on a wealth of information at a very low cost.' 

 Tanker Pacific has also improved on their Exchange system, making it part of the critical ship-shore communication process. Mr Koh explains: 'Exchange connects all ships in the fleet with all of us in the office, making each individual ship a part of the whole workgroup process. Not only is the system very user friendly, it has improved operational efficiency as well.' 

Getting to the right information, quickly 
Tanker Pacific has also customised Exchange to automatically sort incoming and outgoing communications. This timesaving feature allows Tanker Pacific to manage an otherwise overwhelming amount of information daily. Intra-departmental and ship-shore messages are greatly organised. Email broadcasts do not go to everyone, but instead go to specific departmental folders. 

'If a superintendent needs to check on a particular vessel, he will obtain it at a single click. The auto-sort function basically consolidates all the information and presents it in a single, convenient view. The superintendent can quickly get the information that he wants - according to vessel, department or time of updates', Mr Koh says. 

A system was devised to remove duplication of messages, those that were broadcasted from those delivered internally. Mr Koh adds: 'We needed to maintain the confidentiality of internal mails and yet ensure that employees have access to messages that were broadcasted to our customers and suppliers. In the past, we had to perform time-consuming 'copy-and-pastes' between different systems. However with Exchange, we were able to eliminate this step, by simply sending the message using the appropriate form. The form dictates whether a message was intended for internal audiences or general broadcast.' 

Sailing into the horizon 
As Tanker Pacific looks toward the future, it plans to take advantage of new technologies as well as new emerging business opportunities. There are plans to integrate Exchange with the company's databases, enabling information to be at the fingertips of employees, wherever and whenever they need it. The Internet is another technology that is being looked into to make information more accessible. The incorporation of more business features, especially those pertaining to workflow, is one that the company is exploring seriously. 

Mr Koh says: 'Today, we rely heavily on the messaging system, far from the days of manual tracking when telexes and facsimiles were the most effective way of communicating. From a return of investment standpoint, deploying Exchange has made a lot of sense. The robust functionality of Microsoft Exchange, and its capacity to leverage existing IT investments through built-in connectivity and co-existence has translated into significant business benefits for us, today and well into the 21st century.'