Long work hours and extended periods away from land have made rotational positions increasingly common in the maritime industry. These positions, defined by a ‘time for time’ work schedule benefit vessels by improving crew retention, enhancing onboard culture, and overall increasing guest and owner satisfaction.
Challenges with Current Technology
Whilst the industry has embraced this shift in work culture, the current technology onboard that facilitates the organisation of crew schedules is significantly lacking. The maritime industry is majorly reliant on time management and administrative efficiency, from commercial vessels that have strict time constraints to superyachts with meticulously planned charter itineraries. Timekeeping and organisation are crucial to operations running smoothly.
To address the shortcomings of current organisation methods, ex-yacht engineer Tomasz Pankowski developed software specifically for organising and managing the schedules of superyacht crews. Tomasz, who worked as an engineer on superyachts over 100 metres for 6.5 years, graduated from Gdynia Maritime University in 2017 with a BEng in Mechanical Engineering, specialising in Ship Propulsion Plant and Offshore Construction Operation. He also worked on cargo vessels and in shipyards as a service engineer.
During his time in the superyacht industry, Tomasz observed the shortcomings of current onboard methods and the errors that arise from using outdated technologies like Microsoft Excel: “Excel is still used to manage crew rotation on many boats, causing mistakes and miscommunication. This leads to time and money being wasted, frustration for crew and guests, and interference with the boat's schedule.” comments Tomasz.
Tomasz continued: “I always wanted to have clear access to my schedule for at least a year ahead and see any updates and changes straight away. It is important for crew members to know what is going on at any moment so that they can plan their private lives. Receiving and sending relevant documents and reading travel instructions is also in one place. This is now possible on the MyRotat Mobile App.”
A streamlined solution
The MyRotat platform aims to improve efficiency onboard by providing a comprehensive mobile and desktop platform for yacht management companies and crew members to track movements and easily update schedules. The software automatically generates rotation calendars based on predefined types, extending schedules as needed. This ensures that users don’t have to worry about manual updates. For crew members with rotational partners, calendars are generated simultaneously, providing a comprehensive overview of all crew activities.
The software also includes features for uploading travel instructions, and all relevant documents for crew members can be uploaded by HODs and management companies on the desktop platform, such as crew policies and manuals. Some articles can be marked as mandatory for crew members to read. The mobile app allows crew members to view schedules, submit requests and documents, receive travel documents, and access the ship's knowledge base. Further, the notifications system reduces unnecessary emails and streamlines administrative tasks.
Clients will receive a ready-to-use product with an initial database created, allowing for data migration from past records and other solutions. This consolidation ensures that everything is in one place, making crew management more efficient. The software is adaptive, automated, modern, scalable, and user-friendly, with the ability to be customised for each client.
Building on positive industry feedback
MyRotat has received outstanding feedback from the industry and plans to launch the product for testing to maximise user satisfaction and continuously enhance the software. Initial market research garnered positive responses from shore-based administration company Virtual Pursers, who remarked, “It’s a great product and we can see a real need for it,” as well as from captains of several vessels over 60 metres, including the 62-metre M/Y Roma. Numerous yachts have since shown interest in the software, further underscoring the market demand.
With a strong pipeline of vessels interested, customised demo links with a software tour guide are being sent to interested parties, allowing them to explore the features and functionality firsthand. Overall, this new software promises to save time and money in crew management, offering a better alternative to the existing solutions and addressing the industry's need for more efficient and effective tools.
For more information on MyRotat, or to request a demo link, visit: https://myrotat.com/
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