A2B-online

A2B-online offers a professional and flexible trailer, container and shipping service from and to Great Britain. The shipping company is responsible for seven container vessels in the so-called short sea trade.They transport containerised cargo for their customers in their own containers. In 2020, the first contact was made and now the seven vessels have been equipped with an approved loading computer software.

At the time, the contact arose because a 1st mate of A2B-online used LOCOPIAS on board other vessels. The Sietas vessels did have software on board but this was outdated. The customer also had certain requirements to be able to load containers easily and to check the IMDG code. In addition, the holds had been modified by removing cell guides and placing pots to become more flexible. This makes customization of the software necessary. This also coincided nicely with the development of the renewed container module. A2B-online is the launching customer of this new development and provided feedback from the user point of view.

These vessels were built in the late 1990s, which made it a challenging task to collect all of the vessel’s data. Also because some container positions had shifted over the years and we wanted to deliver the LOCOPIAS accurately. In close cooperation with A2B-online, this was achieved.

In the same period as this project, SARC was busy redesigning the container module. This made A2B-online the launching customer for the new container module and we are very grateful for that. We also had intensive contact with A2B-online and received feedback for this module. Part of the software was checking the IMDG code for containers. The International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code) contains all the transport provisions relating to the maritime transport of dangerous goods in packaged form, in tanks and in tank containers.

Dirk Hageman, in addition to his of position as Captain aboard the A2B Spirit, ran the entire LOCOPIAS project. Dirk took care of the requirements and needs assessment, conducted interviews with SARC’s engineers, checked the functionality of the new system and ensured that the crew was trained. A2B-online is very grateful that Dirk ran this project so competently.

Mr. Hageman said the program turned out, after surveying the market, to be the most attractive in terms of operating convenience, functionality, solution-oriented (additional modules) and last but not least, cost-effective.

“The software program, which has now been fully customized for our ships, will be virtually risk-free. The software is compatible with the present and future computer structure. LOCOPIAS is very accessible and easy to understand.

Working with the team of SARC was along the implementation of LOCOPIAS a great pleasure. The program ticked absolutely all the boxes, it’s convenient, easy accessible and delivers us accurate information when it comes to stability and stowage of Dangerous Goods on board our vessels.”

All in all, it is not a problem to create a LOCOPIAS version whether it is a newconstruction project or whether the vessels were built years ago. Even for vessels of which the drawings are more than 25 years old and are only available on paper, it is no problem for us to provide these vessels with accurate LOCOPIAS. In this way, they can safely calculate every voyage.