ABS NS Press Releases
For Ready Reserve Force Fleet
December 14, 2004
(Houston, TX---) The US Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration (MARAD) has awarded a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract for the supply of a completely new, fully integrated Ready Reserve Force Management System (RMS) from ABS Nautical Systems (ABS-NS).
The innovative, solution-based ABS-NS system is one of the most widely used IT management tools within the international commercial ship operations arena. This will be its first application within a governmental environment where it will be used to replace a series of “stove-pipe,” non-integrated, legacy systems that have been adopted over many years. The selection of ABS-NS to provide the new RMS is part of the US government’s push to commercialize its operations wherever clear improvements in efficiencies can be identified.
The applicable off-the-shelf ABS-NS-5 modules that have been selected by MARAD will be adapted to the specific needs of the government agency. It will link the agency’s central database with each of the selected ship management companies that maintain and operate the Ready Reserve Force fleet. It will also include all MARAD regional offices within the system, as many as 31 remote port engineer offices, and will be placed on each of the vessels in the fleet.
The replication capability of the ABS-NS system is one of the key features of the management suite as it is able to deliver real-time data to all the sites both on-shore and on-board. The fully integrated nature of the modules also offers a single point of data entry by individuals closest to the data, significantly increasing system accuracy and efficiency.
“The recently released Version 5 of the Nautical Systems program met all of the very demanding criteria laid down by MARAD,” said ABS-NS President Jack Kitchura. “The MARAD installation will be similar to those that we have implemented for some of our large commercial clients who have been able to demonstrate direct cost savings and operational efficiencies in the management of their fleets.”
Several of the commercial ship management companies that hold five year contracts to manage RRF vessels for MARAD are already existing ABS-NS clients. “This should make the wider implementation easier and faster,” said Kitchura, “with the added benefit that those clients that are currently using earlier versions of ABS-NS will be able to upgrade to the new Version 5 as part of the implementation process.”
The contract includes modules for managing vessel maintenance, including forward planning, actual tracking and an analysis capability of maintenance history. This module interfaces with the spare parts, purchasing and inventory module to give MARAD and its contractors tight control over inventory and budgeting.
The ABS-NS financial reporting module will be customized to permit budget development, business planning, work approval and invoice acceptance, cost control tracking and program and project management. The quality compliance module addresses audits, drills, non-compliances and other management system elements.
ABS-NS has assigned a dedicated team to implement the new system within MARAD and its contracted ship managers. Work has already begun on data conversion, system development and configuration. The aggressive schedule calls for the new system to fully replace the legacy programs in April 2005.
ABS Nautical Systems is a subsidiary of ABS Infolink Inc., a member of the ABS Group of Companies and an affiliate of ABS, one of the world’s largest classification societies. It is the supplier of one of the leading fleet management software packages available to the marine and offshore industries. It offers a fully integrated, modular approach to managing all the principal operational expenses associated with a vessel or offshore rig, ranging from crew payroll to purchasing, to maintenance and repair. ABS-NS is currently installed aboard several thousand vessels ranging from tugboats to vlccs.
For More Information, Contact:
Susan V. Gonzalez,
ABS Corporate Communications
1-281- 877-5853
sgonzalez@eagle.org
ABS Nautical
Systems
1-281-877-5720
ns-info@abs-ns.com