Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) and ABS Nautical Systems have a relationship that goes back a decade: testament to a strong partnership and a commitment from both sides to continue improving the product. BSM has installed the ABS NS5 fleet management system on more than 100 ships, with strongest participation from its Hamburg and Isle of Man offices. From these locations, BSM staff access modules for maintenance and purchasing, quality and compliance, vetting, drydocking and most recently voyage management.

Isle of Man-based BSM superintendent Mark Seed has been an NS user from day one and has seen the system evolve in step with the Bernhard Schulte Group. “The industry has changed so much since 1999 and so has the BSM Group organization. For instance, reporting requirements have increased and we use the functionality of NS5 to capture as much data and information as possible within a single source to satisfy industry and company criteria,” he says.

A decade’s use provides plenty of perspective on how the system performs and Seed says the program and the support provided have exceeded expectations. “To date it has been extremely robust and reliable. We have had little need for assistance to resolve faults or problems. Where assistance or advice has been required, the response has been quick.”

Just as important to BSM as day-to-day operations is the strategic development of the system and the way users are encouraged to get involved in this process. NS holds an annual user conference at which all its users are invited to take a stake in developing functionality and features that they really need. In this way, clients keep getting what they want and also benefit from ideas that others bring to the table.

Seed says the user conference is vital in making the product fit the evolving needs of BSM. “Our partnership provides us with participation in the ongoing development of the program so that it incorporates improvements that benefit us both. There is an open door policy which is an absolute necessity for a successful relationship,” he says.

Seed’s opposite number at the BSM Hamburg Office, Romauld Wojtaszczyk, says this participation means the evolution of the software matches the majority of BMS’ needs. “The latest version has much-improved functionality. The partnership between BMS and ABS was one of the driving forces for the incorporation of these improvements,” he says.

Most recently, close collaborative work has resulted in a Requisition Import (RI) function that has extended the ‘virtual’ use of NS5 to many additional ships. BSM designed a custom RFQ spreadsheet which it distributed to ships not using the full system. These are completed and emailed to the office and imported directly into the program.

“It’s a win-win for both partners,” says Wojtaszczyk. “BSM was able to solve a problem about how to create an efficient way for their ships to order stores and NS was able to increase its visibility within BSM by working to the particular needs of a shipmanagement company.”

That visibility is likely to get another boost thanks to the Voyage Management (VM) module which is the latest addition to the BSM licence agreement. Because changes in vessel performance can impact the profitability of a charter, monitoring these indicators is a bottom line issue. BSM wanted better detail on daily fuel and lubricants consumption, vessel speed and main engine performance. Deploying VM means the company can collect data from the ship and develop detailed reports showing any deviation from charter-party performance requirements.