IT Managers: Manage the Fleet from Shore

In order to take advantage of computer based technologies, ship operators must continually maintain, upgrade, and troubleshoot vessel based systems. In addition to this, databases must be synced, data gathered and files run between ship and shore. By default, these IT tasks are performed by untrained vessel personnel, which can prove to be costly, cumbersome and limit IT productivity. A cost effective solution to this problem is to manage these tasks using SeaWave's RMS family of products, operated by trained IT professionals located onshore.

• SNAP (SeaWave Network Access Protocol): SNAP provides the shore-side IT professional the ability to initiate a direct connection to a vessel over IP and subsequently control any PC on board that vessel using graphical remote desktop tools or command-line interface applications.

• SAFE (SeaWave Automatic File Exchange): Relying on ship personnel to send and receive critical data files is not optimal. SAFE allows the shore side IT staff to programmatically launch applications on remote vessels and transfer files both to and from the vessel as required by the IT application.

• SABR (SeaWave Address Book Replication): Modern companies use internal mail systems like Microsoft's Exchange Server. Exchange maintains a Global Address Book so that all corporate users have access to the same addresses. SABR extends this function automatically to the vessels. By using SABR, those on shore manage the company address book, which then propagates to all the vessels in the fleet.

• FORM (SeaWave Form Transmission): Much of the ship's business e-mail consists of standard forms sent on a periodic basis. SeaWave FORM provides a method whereby only the data is sent and not the entire form, thus improving efficiency of the transmission. When the form contents reach shore, they are reinserted into their respective forms in the proper format.

• STAR (SeaWave Tracking And Reporting): It is becoming increasingly important for owners and management companies to know exactly where their vessels are located at any given time and historically over hours, days, weeks or even months. STAR provides a comprehensive system that supplies tracking as well as additional vessel/trip information for a fleet. Information collected from the vessels is presented in STAR, where it can be overlaid onto navigational charts. STAR tracking information can also be exported in several formats, to back office applications for administrative purposes.

Each one of these five applications is an integral part of the RMS suite, as they contribute to the effective daily operations of shipping companies and provide solutions to the various aspects of total remote vessel management via the internet.