Crew management is a complex role that requires managers to be fully aware of different moving parts of the business like vacancies and hiring, time frames, payroll, seafarer compliance and satisfaction, and so much more. With this list of tasks to manage comes even more complexity when it comes to coordinating and communicating with everyone involved.
That’s why Seafair has studied the workflow of those in crew management and identified opportunities to innovate and revolutionize in order to make the work of crew managers and the entire crewing department easier and seamless. Here are some of the major insights our team has uncovered within crewing and how we’re addressing them.
Streamlining coordination and communication between all stakeholders
Working with many people across different departments both internally and externally, as well as with seafarers, it’s important to effectively communicate and coordinate with everyone involved. When it comes to communication, less can be more effective in the sense that it should be direct and easily understood. Meanwhile, when orchestrating complex projects that have to do with finding seafarers, getting them onboard, managing them aboard the ship, executing audits and more, it’s crucial to clearly delegate and assigns tasks to everyone involved, whether it be from within the crewing department or a third-party agent.
Seafair crew management platform offers both an internal and external platform access and provides a clear visual way of seeing who is responsible for assigned tasks and getting updates on all the things that need to be done.
Staying on top of all moving pieces that need to be monitored and tracked
Sailing the seas means that crewing departments often manage tasks across various timezones, which can get very confusing. That’s why it’s necessary to set up automations in place that allow for people involved to get alerted and notified about necessary things to do, such as updating training certifications to making sure relievers are found right on time.
It’s also important to be able to access and coordinate with everyone any time, anywhere, which is why Seafair has built its platform on a secure cloud that allows people onboard vessels or ashore to collaborate and work effectively, despite timezone differences and location. It also sends automated alerts and notifications so that anyone involved with an upcoming task doesn’t miss it.
Keeping updated records and data
As with any managerial role, one crucial expectation from crew managers is to be knowledgeable of all records and process data in order to make better decisions for both the shipping companies and seafarers. However, being able to update records and process data on everything that goes on in crewing can be a tedious task that can lead to small errors, which can mean thousands of operational costs.
Seafair helps crew managers eliminate this risk by providing access to key players to help minimize data errors by allowing the source to upload or update it themselves, by means of dedicated access portals for third-party manning agencies and seafarers. This way, records can be kept up-to-date, which can then be used by the Seafair platform to help generate reports across different categories to improve operational efficiency.
There are many tools available that can help crewing departments achieve these tips, but all come from different solution providers. However, that’s where Seafair is changing the game as an end-to-end crewing platform that allows crew managers to gain access to an innovative platform that stems from manning services all the way down to a robust crew management software.
If you’d like to experience the Seafair platform firsthand, it’s absolutely FREE to ask for a demo through this link! What’s better is that you can even get a 14-DAY FREE TRIAL of our platform to see how it can make your crew management workflow better. Request a demo here now!