UAB-Online is expanding its highly digitised industry-standard ‘software as a service’ (SaaS) platform into the deep-sea liquid bulk handling markets of North America and Asia, bringing its established expertise and reliability to the major port regions of Houston and Singapore. The move reflects the company’s considerable growth since it founded its software initiative in 2010. Its perfected software solutions can significantly reduce vessel port stay times and reduce vessel NOx and CO2 emissions.
The expansion into Houston and Singapore will build on UAB-Online’s strength in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp range (ARA region), where its digitised liquid bulk handling solutions are the recognised industry standards for sea-going and inland vessels coming into ports.
According to Hans Bobeldijk, UAB-Online Chief Executive Officer, the company’s development into Houston and Singapore will create a more compliant way of working by digitising safety processes and procedures while also shortening total port stay by optimising terminal processes.
“By employing our digitised solutions, terminals can reduce the amount of time spent at the berth by completing much of the preparation needed for the loading and unloading operation prior to the vessel’s arrival. This will, in turn, significantly reduce the vessel’s idle time and its green-house gas emissions at the terminals,” he said.
The UAB-Online cloud-based application currently serves 60 terminals in total in The Netherlands and Belgium, as well as 2,800 active ships and all surveyors. The application contains smart functionalities for Masters, charterers, terminals, and surveyors which are designed to optimise the complete process of a vessel’s pre-arrival.
The platform offers digital solutions for the exchange of pre-arrival information, Ship Shore Safety Checklist (ISGOTT 6), document creation and exchange, connecting and collaborating with stakeholders including surveyors, agents, and freighters, as well as the digital signing of documents which streamlines processes, saves time and costs, ensuring total compliance.
Expanding UAB-Online’s operations from Europe to Singapore and Houston was a logical process, said Mr Bobeldijk, “as a number of our clients have seagoing operations in these areas which they wanted us to manage. So, it was an obvious step to take, and when you’re in the seagoing business then of course your scope is much broader than only the ARA region and quickly becomes the rest of the world.”
UAB-Online is working closely with terminals in Singapore and Houston with a view to focusing more on safely managing their loading and unloading operation by simplifying and making the administrative process more reliable, efficient, and compliant.
The collaborative nature of the platform enables document creation, sharing and signing between the ship, terminal and surveyor prior to the vessel arriving. It is built on true customer needs, developed, and optimised in co-creation with the terminals involved.
Source: UAB-Online