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Committing to Development in 2008 A Message from ABS Nautical Systems President & COO To Our Valued Clients, The New Year marks our 10th year under the ABS Nautical Systems banner of bringing client guided I.T. solutions to the maritime and offshore industries. Over the last 10 years with your help and support, Nautical Systems has seen near 1000 percent growth, and with this growth, the increased ability to deliver an expanded range of both products and services to our customers.  Jack Kitchura, President & COO Our commitment remains “Client Centered Solutions", which means delivering software and solutions designed for the user. Looking forward, this year we will roll out the new general release of our Vetting Module and Root Cause Analysis application. We will hold client sessions to further enhance our Dry Dock Module, introduce a Serialized Parts application and begin designs for a new Document Manager Module. Scheduled for release in September is the general release of 5.4 to include a multitude of new features and functionality requested with client input from every region. Additionally, and already committed, is the ‘webification’ of our full product line with release in 2009. More information on all of these developments will be forthcoming. In order to meet global expectations and requirements, Nautical Systems starts the year with a renewed commitment to develop our staff. To date, we have opened new offices in Jakarta, Indonesia and Newcastle, U.K., and added staff in both Germany and Houston. We look forward to keeping you apprised throughout the year as we continue to grow. We are committed to being the dependable long term partner you expect of us. As is our tradition, we are organizing our 2008 User's Conference. These conferences are part of a valuable process which brings us all together to share ideas, look at the future of the Nautical Systems product, exchange ideas and recommendations and gain consensus on priorities for future development. This year we will head for Long Beach, California, one of the largest cargo operating areas in the world. Thank you all for your continuing support of Nautical Systems’ products and our team. You have our commitment to listen when you contact us, to strive for improvements in both product and response, and to do the best we possibly can to meet your expectations both now and in the future. Sincerely, Jack Kitchura
Upcoming User Group Events An integral part of our product development is the strong user group that assists us in design assessment and testing. Through user gatherings and web based seminars, our aim is to strengthen this group throughout 2008. Several opportunities are available to gain knowledge and provide feedback on development initiatives. If you are interested in participating in any of these events, please contact Sue Powless (Sales & Marketing Coordinator) at 281-877-5710 or spowless@abs-ns.com. User Committee Meeting – February 27-29, 2008 ABS Nautical Systems is holding a series of User Committee Meetings at its Houston office, February 27-29, 2008. The purpose of these meetings is to discuss in detail with our clients:
We will provide an understanding of requirements, assumptions, scopes, features, and discuss what can and cannot be done and how this impacts our clients and their current work flow. These meetings will offer our clients an opportunity to present their suggestions and a chance for ABS NS to listen to and implement their ideas. Seats are limited each day to 25 and are on a fist come, first serve basis. When reserving your space, please indicate which days you would like to attend. Web Seminar - Focus: 2008 Initiatives & Plans ABS Nautical Systems invites you to attend a web seminar that will showcase all of the new things to expect in 2008. The scheduled date is March 11, 2008. This web seminar will last approximately 20 minutes. We will release more information on this event in the near future. We will be expending the use of these seminars in the coming year and looking to ever closer with you, our clients, in disseminating product knowledge and new functionality ABS Nautical Systems 2008 User Conference In January, we sent an email to our clients for feedback on the location for the 2008 User Conference. Long Beach ranked tops above Boston, Chicago and Denver. Thank you to all who participated in this survey. An announcement will be sent in the near future with the dates and exact location in Long Beach.
New Product Highlights  Nautical Systems has introduced its new Vetting Module. This fully integrated module was developed to help various operators (Tanker, Bulk and Barge) improve the timeliness and accuracy of their responses to observations that are made during a vetting inspection as well as support improved use of data to encourage better preparation in advance of future vettings. The Vetting Module is flexible and will allow clients to load protocols for a number of different vetting processes, including the OCIMF SIRE standards and the CDI (chemical ship) standards. The module will also link with the newly released NS 5 Root Cause Analysis plug-in so that owners will be able to more easily investigate underlying causes of any problems that may be identified by the vetting process. The module also will create a library of previous responses to vetting observations. For more information contact your local ABS Nautical Systems sales representative or Sue Powless (Sales & Marketing Coordinator) at 281-877-5710 or spowless@abs-ns.com.  The newly expanded Root Cause Analysis functionality in the NS 5 Quality & Compliance module allows NS users to link to the Root Cause Map published by ABS Class and link multiple causes back to a CAR (Corrective Action Request). Users will have the ability to customize the Root Cause Map or use it right out-of-the box. All root cause details will be included in NS 5’s replication, and therefore available on both ship and shore. This new plug-in is now available. Please contact your local sales representative to find out how you can get a demonstration. ABS Nautical Systems is developing a new reporting tool that will provide business users the ability to create on-demand reports easily and quickly. The existing NS5 built-in reports will remain as the core for NS5 reporting but this new tool will be a true enterprise application – web-based and accessible to all within the organization with the ability to access other back-office data sources. Some features that will be included are:
Testing with clients will begin in Q2 2008 with general release scheduled for Q3 2008.
Regional Focus – Latin America Grupo TMM partners with ABS Nautical Systems  Grupo TMM has selected ABS Nautical Systems’ NS 5 Crew Management and Payroll software to improve their workforce management across five regional offices and nine vessels. Grupo TMM is the largest Mexican logistics and transportation company in Latin America, and is the dominant provider of logistical outsourcing services, trucking, and specialized maritime and port management in Mexico. Anticipating 25 percent fleet and crew growth during 2008, Grupo TMM required a solution that would efficiently manage the expansion. “The legacy application was a highly limited in-house development and it was critical for us to implement a system that would improve crew utilization and staffing”, states Beatriz Aguiriano Urigüen, Information Technologies, Applications Sub-Director at Grupo TMM. “ABS Nautical Systems was selected because the program closely met our required functionality and is user friendly. Additionally, they have a very respectable client base and defined a very complete and comprehensive support approach, which was extremely important to us”, added Urigüen. Petrolera Transoceanica (Petranso), Lima, Peru  In July 2007, ABS NS staff trained users at Petrolera Transoceanica (Petranso) in Lima, Peru. Utilizing the NS 5 Maintenance and Inventory Control Modules since 2004, Petranso recognizes the importance of refresher training to keep their staff abreast of new product developments. The training was oriented to the advanced users within Petranso, focusing on best practices usage of NS 5 modules. We value Petranso’s commitment to ABS Nautical Systems and it is always a pleasure to work with their users. ABS Nautical Systems – Second Annual Tennis Tournament 2007 (Vina de Mar – Chile)  Left to right: Alvaro Pozo, ABS NS; Pedro Ascui, CCNI ABS Nautical Systems sponsored its second annual Tennis Tournament in the Estadio Español (Viña del Mar – Chile). The tournament was, once again, well received by an enthusiastic group of players representing shipping companies and Class Societies. After the initial rounds carried out during the month of November, the finals of the three categories (A, B and C) were held on Tuesday, December 11th. The finalists (champions and 2nd place) by category were the following:
Nautical Systems Reorganizes its Database Building Team ABS Nautical Systems is re-organizing its database building team in order to extend value added services to our new and existing clients. The re-organization will allow us to better respond to clients for their database building needs. The team will focus on database building efforts as they relate to:  Jan Jenichen
Each project will be defined by the client manager working with the client to ensure that all necessary requirements are gathered. We will also have a designated person assigned to manage the projects. Mr. Jan Jenichen (Product Consultant) of our Hamburg office will manage the Database Building Team. This service will allow new clients and clients adding vessels to save time and effort in their implementations. NS will offer a wide variety of solutions tailored to each clients needs. Please contact your client manager for more information.
NEW HIRES AND STAFF PROMOTIONS We would like to extend our welcome to the newest members of the NS team. Sue Powless Sue Powless transferred from our affiliate, ABS Group of Companies, January 7, 2008, where she was Marketing Coordinator for 3 years with primary responsibility for coordination of all trade shows and conferences. She has over 20 years of sales and marketing experience throughout various industries, where her main focus was overall sales growth and marketing efforts. Prior to joining ABS Group, Sue was an Account Executive for an organization that provides an Employee Assistance program to companies throughout the United States. In that position she conducted various types of trainings, assisted in their marketing efforts, as well as maintained a customer base of over 200 companies. 
Libby Mack Product Consultant - Houston, TX Libby was hired in November, 2007 as Product Consultant to work in the Houston office. Prior to joining Nautical Systems, she spent 8 years in the Navy as a Fire Controlman where she specialized in electronics on weapons systems. Libby graduated from St. Leo University in Florida with a Bachelors Degree in Business specializing in Technology Management. She also holds a MBA from the University of Maryland.
Gary Carter Product Consultant - Houston, TX Gary joined Nautical Systems in November, 2007 as a Product Consultant to work in the Houston office. Prior to joining ABS Nautical Systems, he spent 5-1/2 years in the Navy specializing in aviation electronics. Promotions: As our business continues to expand, 2008 will bring about new challenges. In order to facilitate our growth the following people have assumed new roles within the NS organization. Joe Woods has been promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Gerry Nielsen has been promoted to Vice President of Operations, and Sandipan Bhattacharya has been promoted to Vice President and Chief Technology Officer.
Visit Nautical Systems at the upcoming events!
Web version of ABS NS Software is closer than you think .............
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Contact
your regional ABS Nautical Systems Representative
for additional details.
| North America | North America | North America | |
Representative |
Joe Woods | Chris McCourt | Sue Powless |
Telephone |
281-877-5714 | 281-877-5726 | 281-877-5170 |
Email |
jwoods@abs-ns.com | cmccourt@abs-ns.com | spowless@abs-ns.com |
| South America | EMEA | Asia/Pacific | |
Representative |
Alvaro Pozo | Tom Kreissl | Frank Liang |
Telephone |
(56) 32 2 21 79 68 | (49) 40 37 85 8731 | + 603 22722732 |
Email |
apozo@abs-ns.com | tkreissl@abs-ns.com | flang@abs-ns.com |
Nautical Systems E-News is produced by the Nautical Systems team on a quarterly basis for clients interested in learning more about NS and its products. You may reproduce any article in a printed format or redistribute on a mass basis subject to the following conditions: (1) text must be copied without modification and (2) all copies of text must contain this story credit: "Courtesy of ABS Nautical Systems." To subscribe or unsubscribe to NS E-News, or for more information about ABS Nautical Systems, please contact Sue Powless at 281-877-5710 or spowless@abs-ns.com. Copyright © 2008 by ABS Nautical Systems LLC
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