A to Z of a Voyage Management System: A Guide
If you want the shorter version — a VMS helps make a voyage efficient, ensuring that all operations are running smoothly. To understand just how it does that, here's all you have to know:
A ship is carrying, let's assume, 700 tonnes of cargo, from Vancouver to San Francisco. The very fact that a cargo-loaded vessel has departed from the dock and is enroute is well-known by all those present. However, what happens on the journey can only be learnt through a few ways — documentation and logs, communication, and live tracking.
The world of digitalization is what has revolutionized the way a lot of things work, but the differences that it has brought in the shipping industry is what separates the Titanic sinking, the Exxon Valdez oil spill, USS Arizona destruction, from modern ships that sail today. While accidents still do occur, sea occurrences have drastically declined, thanks to the cutting-edge technology and artificial intelligence (AI) used in ships today.
From intermodalism to smart ports, new and advanced methods have been taking global e-commerce and maritime transportation to new heights. One such digital tool is the VMS or a Voyage Management System. Whether it is tracking the vessel's live location or enhancing communication, ensuring fleet-wide voyage reporting or recording vessel parameters, a VMS can do wonders to elevate a ship's management process and performance.
All that a good VMS (like Oceanaut) can do for your ships:
Fleet-wide voyage scheduling and reporting
Screengrab from Oceanaut software
A good voyage management system enables ship managers/masters to not only schedule voyages seamlessly, but also assign crew members for voyages, upload required certificates and necessary documents pertaining to the ship and the voyage, and more.
For instance, in Oceanaut, sea trips are made easier further by enabling the employees to fill necessary forms and entering crucial data all in one place. Once a voyage is scheduled, automatic notifications are sent to the selected crew. Additionally, Oceanaut boasts built-in checks that make sure a ship cannot sail with the wrong crew, through thoughtfully-curated scheduling forms.
Vessel position tracking
Screengrab from Oceanaut software
If your VMS can give you real-time location details of your vessels on sea, you've a great system in place! A systemized software lets ship owners monitor vessel progress and performance from seas away.
For example, through Oceanaut's easy-to-use maps (with both light and satellite versions), you can view maps with way points a vessel has decided on covering and the route taken by the same.
Graphical overview of data for analysis
Screengrab from Oceanaut
A comprehensive VMS lets the crew and ship owner view the graphical representation of overview of data pertaining to the voyage and the vessel — much like what Oceanaut does.
Tracking of vessel parameters via trip documentation
Screengrab of data overview on Oceanaut
Basically, an adequate VMS must ensure that all voyage-related specifications are accurately tracked. It helps track varied vessel parameters such as speed, fuel consumption, engine performance, cargo conditions, and route data. Shipowners can also reduce operational costs and help improve the environment by monitoring a vessel’s performance like fuel consumption, GHG emission, energy levels, among other parameters.
Compliance solutions
Screengrab showing drills analysis of a fleet on Oceanaut system
Since a VMS keeps track of a ship's overall data, including metrics, deficiencies, audit details, certifications, among others, it plays a major role in keeping the vessel compliant.
Crew management
Screengrab from Oceanaut, showing a crew form
All ships require a complete crew management solution that streamlines tracking of crew competencies and individual profiles, all while promoting a strong HSEQ culture. Ships can easily assign voyages, manage certifications, and award performance-based certificates, and so much more through this crew management modules encompassed by a thorough VMS.
For instance, Oceanaut allows seamless tracking of crew working hours and sea time, promoting compliance and a healthy work-life balance for your crew. Moreover, with over 240 maritime training courses available through its LMS, it allows the registered mariners to upskill and grow.
To learn further about Albatross Marine's Oceanaut, visit www.albatrossmarine.ca.
For a software demo, contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.albatrossmarine.ca
Phone: +1-902-800-8055
+1 (778) 987-4766
