7 November 2005
ShipServ’s e-procurement solutions for maritime industry take off in North America
ShipServ announced today that Chevron Shipping Company LLC (Chevron Shipping) and Seabulk International have contracted to conduct their procurement business via ShipServ’s TradeNet trading platform; thus following companies such as Keystone and OSG among American blue chip tanker companies utilizing e-commerce in North America.
ShipServ (www.shipserv.com), considered a leader in maritime electronic procurement throughout Europe and Asia, with its innovative TradeNet electronic trading platform and maritime e-commerce solutions, recently established a strong foothold in North America, by adding a number of blue chip clients and breaking into new sectors such as LNG, cruise ships etc.
Chevron Shipping, San Ramon, California, signed on its tanker fleet currently at 25 ships, including the, Northwest Swan, an LNG vessel operated by an affiliate of Chevron Shipping on behalf of the North West Shelf Venture Gas Project.
Seabulk International, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who operate one of the largest USA tanker fleets, will use TradeNet for all purchasing for their fleet of ten petroleum product and chemical tankers.
“Chevron Shipping and Seabulk, together with other ShipServ TradeNet Members Keystone, OSG, Fairmont and Tycom, make for a real blue-chip presence in the American shipping markets. We have also made inroads into the cruise industry.” comments Peder Arstorp, Director of Sales, Americas, the most recent addition to the US operations.
ShipServ North American Maritime Suppliers expand
Don Staffin, Senior Vice President, ShipServ, said: “North American suppliers on TradeNet have been growing steadily for some years – giving shipping companies worldwide a range of additional options to their existing supplier base. The new US buyers will further drive growth in our supplier base in North America.”
North American ship suppliers such as World Ship Supply, Williams and Wells Co./Alliance Supply Management, West Coast Ship Supply, Ship Supply Group/Harbor Ship Supply, Karlo Group, plus American-based global suppliers such as Ashland Drew Marine and FAMM, another Chevron affiliated company, headline an extensive network of 100 suppliers that covers virtually every major port in the US and Canada.
Helping Sarbanes-Oxley compliance
Don Staffin further noted: “The Sarbanes-Oxley Act has generally increased awareness among shipping companies and suppliers alike of the benefits of e-commerce. Having records of transactions on an independent web-based trading platform will assist in dealing with issues that may arise from this legislation, concerning corporate governance in accounting, security of financial files and the potential criminalizing of actions of executive management and the Board of Directors.”
Ease of integration with independent maritime software providers
Peder Arstorp also noted “Another reason why our buying customer base is increasing rapidly in North America is the speed with which we can integrate ShipServ TradeNet with all the leading ship management software systems, including ABS, BASS, Consultas, Logimatic, ShipNet, Spectec-Amos, as well as home-grown systems.
“This means that by connecting to ShipServ’s TradeNet platform, owners have quicker and better continuity in their day-to-day dealings, do not need extensive re-training of employees and gain immediate time and financial benefits.” Arstorp concluded.
Editor’s notes:
ShipServ was founded in 1999 and is the world’s leading provider of maritime ecommerce solutions that bring business benefits to ship owners / managers and suppliers alike, via the TradeNet e-commerce trading platform.
ShipServ’s electronic Ship Supply Management (eSSM) Solution includes:
ShipServ’s electronic Ship Supply Management (eSSM) Solution includes the following modules: Sourcing, Order Management, Catalogue Management, Delivery Management and Business Intelligence. An Invoice Management module will be released later this year.
ShipServ TradeNet and ShipServ’s electronic Ship Supply Management (eSSM) solutions simplify the procurement process for shipping companies and suppliers alike. Old-fashioned fax and paper transactions are replaced with electronic trade resulting in savings in time and money throughout the supply chain. The automatic transferring of data between the shipping company’s procurement system and the supplier’s order management system reduces misdeliveries and the need for clarification communications
ShipServ provides eSSM solutions for participants across the entire range of the marine marketplace, from shipping companies with just a few ships to the largest multinational ship managers; from small local ship chandlers to the largest OEM’s, contract suppliers and trading houses.
TradeNet, ShipServ’s web-based trading platform:
ShipServ TradeNet is the world’s largest independent trading platform for ship supplies and neutral, i.e. not controlled neither by buyer nor supplier interests.
The advantages of TradeNet have already been proven to 40+ ship managers and owners with more than 1,300 vessels doing 1,000,000 transactions annually, with 4,000+ suppliers.
The first nine months of 2005 have seen a 285% increase in the number of monthly transactions made via TradeNet.
Integration experience
ShipServ has extensive integration experience with most commonly known shipping software and several home-grown systems as well. All integrations are based on the industry standard of MTML (the Marine Trading Mark-up Language version of XML) which ShipServ developed in co-operation with IMPA (International Marine Purchasing Association).
ShipServ’s integration experience means that implementation of the solutions can often be done within a few days.
Sarbanes-Oxley Act
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was created to protect investors by improving the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosures. The act covers issues such as establishing a public company accounting oversight board, auditor independence, corporate responsibility and enhanced financial disclosure.
It defines the type of records that must be recorded and for how long. It also deals with falsification of data. Affecting data storage capacities and planning, SOX was enacted after the Enron and WorldCom scandals of the early 2000s.
For more information or to arrange to see a demonstration of ShipServ’s electronic Ship Supply Management (eSSM) Solution, please contact:
Linda Ho McAfee
Senior Vice President
ShipServ
+852 2501 9215
lindahomcafee@shipserv.com
Donald Staffin
Senior Vice President
ShipServ
+1 (732) 738 6500
dstaffin@shipserv.com
Lone K. Jensen
Marketing Coordinator
ShipServ
+45 3341 1070
ljensen@shipserv.com
http://www.shipserv.com