A R1-MILLION project in the Safmarine group - extending its Lotus cc:Mail computer system - is now operating full-steam ahead.
It effectively opens a high-tech gateway that routes electronic messages and data to-and-from the company's fleet of ships. Electronic mail (E-mail), data files, telexes and faxes can all be flashed via the Inmarsat satellite connection to the workstations aboard the company's 22 ships - regardless of where they are in the world. The reverse connection also conveys E:mail from ship-to-shore.
The technology chosen by Safship - the ship management division of the group - is the RMS-PC Ship/Shore electronic messaging system from the Canadian Rydex Industries Corporation.
The system comprises the Ship/Shore for Windows; the Ship/ShoreHub; the Mail Manager; and various gateways.
A key component, said Andre Esterhuizen, project manager at Safship, is the cc:Mail gateway, which allows RMS users to exchange E-mail with cc:Mail users on local or remote LANs (local area networks).
The daily exchange of critical operational data is a valuable management tool for ship- and shore-based personnel.
In addition, said Esterhuizen, information obtained from vessels can be used by Safmarine's logistics and marketing specialists to optimise container loading schedules. This enhances the service level to customers, and further reduces operating costs.
