PortVision, a provider of business intelligence solutions for the maritime industry, announced the launch of SmartOps Fleet Management System that streamlines operations for liquid cargo marine transportation companies.

SmartOps is tailored to meet the business process needs of liquid cargo marine transportation. It enables fleet owners and operators to increase revenue, reduce costs and create tighter and more efficient customer relationships.

The new fleet management system extends the benefits of the company’s AIS-based vessel-tracking system to provide an enterprise resource management system and automate a comprehensive range of unit tow business processes, company officials said.

According to Dean Rosenberg, PortVision chief executive officer, SmartOps is the only system tailored to the specific business processes of liquid cargo marine transportation, and incorporates valuable best practices for improving productivity and efficiency while eliminating paper, reducing errors and minimizing labor.

An important feature of SmartOps is that it allows unit tow fleet operators to collaborate with their customers not only on traffic updates and other real-time logistics, but also on complex invoicing and regulatory reporting so they can speed approvals while minimizing discrepancies and distractions associated with billing and compliance requirements.

SmartOps Fleet Management System is based on the company's PortVision platform, which has been deployed at more than 2,000 users including major marine fleets and oil companies. It automates the full range of unit tow liquid cargo transportation business processes including contract setup, chartering, voyage management, wheelhouse activity logging, automated invoicing, and detailed reporting.

An important component of SmartOps is the PortVision Activity Logger (PAL), which is installed in the wheelhouse of each boat. Customers can record events and delays while capturing all necessary information required for invoicing and reporting. PAL data is shared with the fleet operator's traffic department. The PAL also supports comprehensive 2-way text messaging to-and-from each boat.

Meanwhile, communications between the wheelhouse and shore-side groups are possible through use of the PortVision TriMode system, which combines AIS, cellular and satellite communications with least cost routing to deliver messages at low rates.

The SmartOps invoicing module supports all necessary rules dictating how freight time, demurrage and pass-through services are billed to the customer. The reporting capabilities of SmartOps provide comprehensive support for ExStars, U.S. Army Corps and individual state and waterway reporting compliance requirements.

By integrating PortVision Advantage platform, SmartOps offers enhanced visibility, reporting, and alerting of vessel movements and activities. Additionally it provides the modular foundation for planned future enterprise capabilities, which will enable PortVision customers to replace disparate systems with a single, comprehensive, fully integrated solution.