ABS Nautical Systems has announced a direct-link e-procurement facility as an extension of the Purchasing & Inventory module of its integrated ABS-NS SafeNet fleet management system.
"We have taken a different, more commercial approach to competing third party e-procurement programs that are on offer," said Nautical Systems president Jack Kitchura. "We have provided our clients with a means of
directly communicating electronically with their already established suppliers and vendors. Any purchase takes place solely between buyer and seller without any middleman commissions or transaction fees. We have taken
the traditional purchasing relationship and automated it to provide a more efficient way of obtaining competing bids, more responsive service and a completely integrated purchasing process within the shipowner's fleet
management system."
The new e-procurement capability arose from client feedback at one of the regular Nautical Systems' user conferences and has been developed in partnership with existing SafeNet users to ensure its practicality. One component of the SafeNet e-procurement facility is that all users of the system provide the names and contacts of their vendors. Nautical Systems provides each of these vendors with the required communication applet at no charge.