Project Overview
PortLink is a robust vessel supply chain management and CRM system that allows companies to manage maritime operations, vessel operations, customer relations, certification, orders, billing, and logistics processes effectively.
This system offers an integrated platform that allows companies to manage their customers, supplier organizations, vessels, ports, vessel certificates, cases, bills, payments, and engineer allocation processes on a single platform. It automates and digitizes the entire process, allowing maritime organizations to manage vessel details, orders, engineer allocation, and full case history on a single portal.
Additionally, this system offers custom reporting options and operational dashboard features to help management keep track of turnovers, volume, gross profit margin, vessel orders, certificates, supply chain processes, and financial information.
Project Objectives
- Centralize vessel and supplier management operations.
- Digitize vessel certification and documentation processes.
- Streamline customer, order, and case management.
- Improve vessel assignment and port-to-port planning.
- Automate invoice and payment management.
- Simplify engineer scheduling and vessel visit management.
- Provide centralized access to vessel history, certificates, and documents.
- Improve operational visibility through dashboards and customized reports.
- Reduce dependency on manual paperwork and administrative processes.
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Business Challenges
1. Manual Vessel & Certification Management
The client relied heavily on paperwork and manual processes to manage vessels, certifications, vessel history, and related documentation. Finding certificates and historical records was time-consuming and made it difficult to maintain accurate information.
2. Complex Vessel & Order Tracking
The client needed to manage multiple vessels across different supplier companies while identifying suitable vessels for customer requirements. Tracking vessel assignments, routes, source and destination ports, availability, and order status through manual processes created operational difficulties.
3. Disconnected Customer & Case Management
Customer inquiries, vessel requirements, commissions, payment terms, expiry dates, and order information were handled through separate processes. This made it difficult for sales executives to maintain complete case histories and follow up on customer requirements efficiently.
4. Complex Reporting Requirements
The business required multiple customized reports covering vessel order status, certifications, supply chain tracking, invoices, financial information, and operational performance. Each report required different filtering criteria, datasets, and presentation formats.
5. Port Operations & Vessel Assignment
Managing vessel movements between source and destination ports required coordination of vessel availability, routes, schedules, and customer requirements. The lack of centralized port and route information made vessel assignment and operational planning more difficult.
6. Manual Invoice & Payment Processes
Creating and tracking invoices for vessel services, certifications, and customer orders required significant manual effort. The client needed a centralized financial workflow for invoice management, payment information, and transaction tracking.
7. Engineer Scheduling
Assigning engineers to specific vessels and coordinating vessel visits required manual communication and scheduling. The client needed better visibility into engineer assignments, availability, vessel visits, and upcoming certification activities.
Our Solutions
To address the client’s manual processes and fragmented vessel management operations, our team has developed a CRM web application that helps the client with the capability to manage and track everything effortlessly. The web application is assured to streamline all day-to-day tasks.
The solution brings vessel management, customer management, order processing, certifications, port planning, invoicing, payments, reporting, and engineer scheduling into a single web-based platform.
Centralize Vessel & Supplier Management
The platform provides a centralized database for supplier companies and their vessels, including vessel history, dimensions, routes, ports, capacity, maintenance certificates, and availability. This enables sales and operations teams to quickly identify and assign suitable vessels based on customer requirements.
Digitize Certification & Document Management
The system enables teams to manage vessel certification requirements, document submissions, vessel visits, certificate history, and renewal schedules digitally. Automated reminders help teams track upcoming certification renewals and maintain updated vessel records.
Streamline Customer, Case & Order Management
Customer inquiries can be converted into cases with complete information about vessel requirements, order categories, commissions, currencies, payment terms, expiry dates, and customer details. Teams can then manage the case throughout the complete order lifecycle.
Improve Port & Route Planning
Port and route management allows users to maintain source and destination ports and filter available vessels according to customer requirements. This simplifies vessel selection and improves coordination between customers, suppliers, and operations teams.
Automate Invoicing & Payments
The platform centralizes customer and supplier invoice management and supports payment-related workflows, including bank details and direct bank transfer information. This improves financial visibility and reduces manual invoice processing.
Optimize Engineer Scheduling
The system enables executives to schedule engineers for specific vessels, manage vessel visits, track engineer assignments, and monitor engineer availability for future activities.
Key Benefits
- Centralize vessel and supplier information.
- Digitize vessel certification and document management.
- Automate customer, case, and order workflows.
- Simplify vessel assignment based on ports and requirements.
- Improve visibility into vessel availability and history.
- Streamline invoice and payment management.
- Improve engineer scheduling and vessel visit coordination.
- Provide customized operational and financial reporting.
- Reduce dependency on paper-based processes.
- Improve customer service through faster access to complete case histories.
Key Features
Dashboard
Provides authorized users with a centralized view of important business metrics, including turnover, volume, gross profit, and margin for the current year based on user roles and permissions.
User Management
Administrators can manage employees, assign roles, and control access to different modules and functions based on user permissions.
Customer Management
Manage customer records, vessel requirements, inquiries, deadlines, and customer-related cases from a centralized interface.
Companies / Agent Management
Manage supplier companies and their associated vessels, including company information, vessel history, ports, and vessel details.
Vessel Management
Maintain detailed vessel records including capacity, dimensions, routes, vessel history, maintenance certificates, source and destination ports, and availability.
Port & Route Calendar Management
Create, update, and manage ports and use source and destination information to identify suitable vessels for customer requirements.
Case Management
Create and manage vessel-related cases with customer details, inquiry information, vessel requirements, commissions, currencies, expiry dates, order categories, and payment terms.
Order Management
Assign suitable vessels to customers and manage order-related documentation, destination and source port information, and applicable country or regulatory requirements.
Vessel Certification Services
Manage certification requests, document reviews, certificate requirements, vessel history, and certification-related activities.
Vessel Visit Management
Schedule vessel visits and communicate visit dates, times, and required documentation to vessel owners and relevant stakeholders.
Engineer Event Management
Schedule engineers for specific vessels, track assignments, monitor availability, and coordinate upcoming vessel activities.
Certificate Creation & Renewal
Create vessel certificates with service dates and manage renewal schedules. The system can send reminders based on certification types and renewal requirements.
Invoice Management
Manage customer and supplier invoices with case number, order version, customer details, supplier details, vessel information, port information, status, creation date, and received/sent status.
Payment Management
Maintain company bank information and support payment workflows for invoices, including direct bank transfer details.
Customized Reports
Generate customized reports based on different datasets and filtering requirements, including vessel order status, certifications, supply chain tracking, invoices, and operational information.
Reporting & Data Visibility
Provide centralized reporting and business data visibility to support operational monitoring and management decision-making.
Document & Case History
Maintain complete vessel, certification, order, invoice, and customer case histories so authorized users can quickly retrieve information and share relevant records with customers, companies, or vessel owners.
Technology
| Frontend | C#, XAF Blazor |
| Backend | C#, .NET Core, XPO |
| Framework | DevExpress XAF / Blazor |
| Database | Microsoft SQL Server (MSSQL) |
| Platform | Web |
| ORM | XPO |
| Reporting | DevExpress Reporting |
| UI Technology | Blazor |
| Other Technology Used | DevExpress Universal Subscription |
| Architecture | Enterprise Web Application |
Business Results
45%
Improved Work Efficiency
The digital CRM significantly improved overall work efficiency across sales, customer relationship management, vessel management, and certification activities compared with the previous manual processes.
50%
Faster Document Retrieval
Centralized digital storage enabled executives to quickly locate vessel certificates, invoices, case records, and historical documentation without searching through physical files.
40%
Improved Case Management Efficiency
Centralized customer, vessel, order, and case information simplified the management of vessel-related inquiries and improved visibility throughout the case lifecycle.
30%
Reduced Administrative Effort
Digitizing certifications, invoices, customer cases, vessel records, and engineer scheduling reduced repetitive paperwork and manual administrative activities.
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Frequently Asked Questions
PortLink is a vessel supply chain management and CRM platform designed to manage maritime operations, customers, suppliers, vessels, certifications, orders, invoices, payments, and engineer activities from a centralized system.
The platform is designed for maritime companies, sales executives, vessel management teams, certification teams, operations teams, finance teams, engineers, and administrators.
Yes. PortLink allows users to manage multiple supplier companies and their vessels, including vessel history, capacity, routes, ports, certifications, and availability.
Yes. Users can manage certification requests, required documents, vessel visits, certificate creation, certificate history, and renewal reminders.
Yes. Users can manage ports and filter available vessels based on the source and destination ports requested by customers.
Yes. Users can create and manage customer and supplier invoices with case, order, vessel, port, status, and financial information.
The platform was developed using C#, .NET Core, XAF Blazor, XPO, Microsoft SQL Server, and DevExpress Universal Subscription technologies.
