Owners are now able to access class services in real time and see survey options for their vessels in a broader context, says Patrick Ryan, ABS.
Shipping is an industry that is all about mobility, but one whose relationship to information technology has to some extent remained stuck in a previous decade. Just as we have become used to using mobile technology for our personal needs, we have outgrown the form factor of a PC or laptop as a means of accessing the internet for business.
The mobile devices that have revolutionised society are coming into play in new ways, as a combination of digital data and remote working encourage the adoption of new tools. Applications that employ real time analytics can provide the data that enables the transition from information to action in the time it makes to drink a cup of coffee.
We can be certain too that more data is coming to all sectors of the shipping industry. We will need to streamline the process that ties together front and back office to create a wider network of intelligence that can support vessel safety and efficiency.
Class is already home to a vast store of data and has begun in earnest to leverage that resource towards improving the experience for our clients.
To support this aim, ABS has launched MyFreedom, a suite of fleet management and vessel compliance services, powered by smart functionality and advanced analytics and available online through the ABS App.
This data portal provides tools that simplify access to ABS class services and give shipowners a deeper understanding of the operating health and performance of their assets. The functionality of the app is fed by the ABS Freedom survey management system so that data is collected and can be turned into a health report that can be delivered to any location.
The app’s functionality includes the ABS Smart Scheduler, which leverages real-time AIS data to enable booking of in-person and remote surveys and a custom pre-arrival checklist which brings together port state data from all ABS-classed vessels. Other tools include ISM Code Findings and a Port State Control risk tool which provides customized inspection analytics by vessel or fleet.
This breaking down of traditional data barriers means that an owner classing with ABS can understand the choices around their upcoming survey and access new types of information including data that illustrate how inspection and detentions are trending. They can also make a judgement as to whether the physical cost of a survey is going to be different from one port to another.
We don’t see the provision of this technology as removing humans from loop, it’s more a case of augmenting what they do, and we think the effects will be transformational for delivery of class services. Accessing data this way reinforces safety for owners because it provides access to the latest intelligence, not the last paper copy that can be located.
This greater transparency won’t by itself change trading patterns, but it can better equip an owner to prepare their vessel for survey and provide reminders of what they should have at front of mind.
The ABS App is an evolving application but it also represents something larger; a foundational element in the ultimate delivery of digital class services. We will progressively see more functionality added so that users can reduce the time it takes to prepare for and execute a survey.
ABS is moving towards the provision of remote survey via the app; the decision of whether it is appropriate is still made on a case-by-case basis, but it’s definitely on the roadmap.
Delivering the required level of service our customers require wouldn’t be possible without a mobile channel to owners; ABS has already logged tens of thousands of interactions via the App and much of the feedback is already asking when more class functions can be added.
It’s important to note that MyFreedom is not a self-service platform for vendors; we think that owners will quickly realise that it in a world of nascent platforms, it is functionality that makes the difference. Using the lowest common denominator as the basis for innovation is not the answer; the benefit to owners from digital service delivery will always outweigh the challenges of its development.
A product built on class data that can save time and money while still focussing on safety has a high attraction rate for owners who want to accelerate their digital operations. Rolling out this kind of functionality is a way for class societies to differentiate their services as well as drive the industry’s broader digital transformation.
* Senior Vice President, Engineering and Technology, ABS
