Dean Shoultz News

Bleecker Street Group (BSG), a global software holding company, announced the acquisition of Ripple, an integrated maritime software company. The acquisition underscores BSG's commitment to the maritime sector, solidifying its position as an emerging force in the broader Supply Chain Software industry.Ripple has earned acclaim for its mission-critical solutions designed to address unique operating challenges faced by maritime, and it has a long client list in the sector delivering to tugboat…

Resilience planning, Info Sharing Take Spotlight“Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.” That old chestnut gets turned on its head when it comes to port cyber security. It’s more like “Oh what a tangled web we’ve woven, so much harder to stop data stolen.”Ports today have the physical aspect of security pretty well nailed shut - gates, locks, fencing, alarms, cameras, drones, etc. As Chris Mason, Rajant Corp.’s director of sales for EMEA, notes, “Every…

In a continuing effort to raise awareness and promote good cyber hygiene in the maritime industry, MarineCFO will release an actionable set of checklists to fleets running the Vessel 365 platform. The checklists are designed to engender cybersecurity into the psyche of mariners, DPAs, TPOs, inspectors, as well as shoreside personnel. They offer a concise but simple way for mariners to undergo cyber training, record those events, memorialize lessons learned, perform cyber drills and improve the physical and digital security of the vessel.

Management software: vendors, consultants, class strive to provide turnkey service. Unless you’ve been lost at sea for the last few years, you know about Subchapter M. You know the June publication of the U.S. Coast Guard’s regulations for ensuring minimum safety standards on tows and tugs, which will extend inspection requirements to the majority of these vessels for the first time, moved the long-awaited, and in some cases, dreaded program from the haze of eventually out into the cold light of day.

Industry Innovators Combine to lead US Towing Vessel Compliance. Lloyd’s Register North America, Inc. has formally announced to the United States Coast Guard its intention to assume Subchapter M Third Party Organization duties effective immediately. This message was followed by the signing of an exclusive Subchapter M joint marketing agreement between Lloyd’s Register North America, Inc. and workboat technology provider MarineCFO, who will jointly bring comprehensive solutions for compliance with Subchapter M. A result of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2004, Subchapter M became effective July 20, 2016. The rulemaking transitions upwards of 5…

Founded in 1992, UA Business Solutions was a pioneer in the field of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and an early Microsoft Partner. The ERP evolution into the maritime industry found UA developing industry specific solutions for marine clients. These UA marine solutions became commercially available in 2007 under the UA proprietary brand, MarineCFO. UA Business Solutions, along with the MarineCFO brand, was purchased by VerticaLive in 2013. A reimaged MarineCFO emerged from this acquisition at the forefront of SubChapter M solutions…

MarineCFO Offers Vessel365 & Homeport365. Industry technology services provider, MarineCFO, has announced the “Sub M 90” Program commencing February 25, 2016 and terminating June 22, 2016. According to Tug & Barge Solutions, a Sub M consultant and MarineCFO partner, the Office of Management & Budget (OMB) received the Final Rule version of Sub Chapter M from United States Coast Guard on February 12, 2016. The OMB has until June 22nd to review the Sub Chapter M Final Rule prior to publication in the Federal Register. The MarineCFO “Sub M 90” Program kicked off on February 25, 2016 to support towing operators during this OMB review process. All Sub Chapter M impacted owners are eligible to advance order their onboard Vessel365 subscription through June 22, 2016 by contacting MarineCFO.

MarineCFO has announced the availability of its newly developed Marine Document Management System (MDMS), designed specifically as a tool to assist marine operators in organizing recordkeeping, assessment, & training verification requirements both ashore and afloat. “Implementing the MDMS has taken some heavy lifting on our part”, said Dean Shoultz, MarineCFO Chief Technology Officer, “but the environment of ever changing regulations, policies, and procedures in the marine industry made this application a must have for responsible marine operators. According to Shoultz, MDMS provides afloat personnel, DPAs and Marine Operations Managers a transparent and easy to use platform for the creation…

The perennial “Year of Subchapter M” has been kicked forward again, this time to February 2016. That means that the clock is now ticking loudly for those towing operations that have yet to climb onboard the safety train. Quality operators see standardized safety practices as a way of leveling the playing field, integral to maintaining the health and profitability of their fleets, and key to winning business from quality customers. Subchapter M will be a phased-in over a period of years. It’s not as much time as you think.

The USCG has poised e-logs and SaaS to transform U.S.-flagged shipboard recordkeeping. The United States Coast Guard frequently appears behind the times when it comes to rulemaking involving shipboard technological advances. Often, by the time the USCG has a Final Rule approved for publication in the Code of Federal Regulations, the technology which that Final Rule was expected to address has been superseded by a newer form of technology. Not so, however, with electronic recordkeeping (e-logbooks) and Software as a Service (SaaS). Currently the USCG offers the “Official Logbook 706-B” in manual form free of charge to any marine operator who requests one. The 706-B is the basic pen & ink ship’s log.

Capitalizing on its 2013 acquisition by software firm VerticaLive, MarineCFO has announced a Fall 2015 introduction of Endurance, a cloud version of the MarineCFO Enterprise Solution. “MarineCFO has proactively sought to bring efficiency, ease of use and affordability to the broader marine transportation market,” said Dean Shoultz, MarineCFO Chief Technology Officer. “We have simplified the shipboard user interface and improved upon existing MarineCFO Enterprise functionality. “SaaS creates an environment whereby a marine operator doesn’t worry about IT infrastructure, payroll for IT staff or updates to software. That’s all part of the cost savings and benefits of our Endurance product line,” explained Rocky Marchiano, MarineCFO Vice President of Business Development.

For inland operators, Compliance, Safety & Technology make for heavy river traffic as software providers descend on a rapidly approaching, potentially lucrative niche market. Is there a panacea for subchapter M? Pending USCG Subchapter “M” (SubM) regulations will eventually require towing operators to implement safety standards and use safety management systems, or alternatively, allow for an annual Coast Guard inspection regime. The new rules are expected to allow towing vessel organizations to customize their approach to meeting the requirements, while providing oversight using audits, inspections, and reviews of safety data. As many as 5,000 vessels and their operators will eventually feel the impact of the so-called subchapter M rules.

Connectivity and Communications Complete the Package. The complex task of operating any marine enterprise isn’t getting any easier. Financial, regulatory, operational, environmental and human resource pressures all increase over time. In the brown water, workboat world, these problems are exacerbated by the sheer number of smaller operators struggling to catch up with business requirements that have become increasingly sophisticated, and over a very short period of time. Keeping track of the new subchapter “M” rules…