Maritime collaboration: A digital transformation quick win 

Traditional email systems are like old anchors, holding back the potential for streamlined communication and efficient operations. They often lead to a deluge of disorganised information, creating silos within departments and making the task of timely decision-making more like steering through a dense fog. 

Purpose-built maritime email collaboration software, on the other hand, is specifically designed to address the complex nature of shipping operations. These systems go beyond basic email functions to offer integration with other maritime systems, real-time tracking of vessels, advanced sorting and tagging of maritime-specific communication, and the ability to handle large volumes of data typical in maritime operations.

That’s why modern email tools for maritime collaboration help you jumpstart your digital transformation initiative. You improve processes and boost efficiency without undergoing complex overhauls or facing a steep learning curve. 

Why you need a quick win in your maritime digital transformation journey

Achieving quick wins in maritime digital transformation projects is critical to building momentum and mitigating risks. When you demonstrate immediate value to stakeholders, you motivate your team and enhance the credibility of the initiative, fostering a positive attitude toward ongoing changes. 

So how do you achieve early results? When building your digital transformation roadmap, the secret is to identify your low-hanging fruits — areas where you can implement changes relatively quickly and with minimal disruption. 

Maritime email transformation is the best candidate to give you immediate results. Here’s why.

1. You already use an email collaboration platform every single day

Maritime email collaboration software easily integrates with your current systems, ensuring a smooth transition without disrupting ongoing operations. You leverage your existing email infrastructure while augmenting it with features tailored to the maritime sector's unique needs. 

Adopting modern maritime collaboration tools often comes with a lower learning curve given that you already use email on a daily basis — and are already accustomed to the fundamental principles of email communication. It’s not like revamping your entire IT infrastructure. 

2. Traditional maritime email systems are full of shortcomings

Traditional email solutions, like Outlook or Gmail, offer general functionalities such as sending, receiving, and storing messages. However, they lack features that cater to the individual requirements of the maritime industry. 

Typical limitations include: 

Inefficient maritime data management

In a typical scenario, a maritime logistics company might receive numerous emails daily regarding shipment schedules, port documentation, and cargo details. Each email could have multiple attachments like spreadsheets, PDFs of customs documents, or images of cargo. 

Traditional email platforms often lack sophisticated search and tagging features, making it challenging to locate specific emails or attachments later. For instance, finding a particular vessel's docking schedule from a month ago could become tedious, involving sifting through hundreds of emails.

This inefficiency in maritime data management often leads to marked delays in operations. In cases where quick access to historical data is crucial, such as during compliance audits or resolving disputes, these uncertainties have financial and legal repercussions.

Delayed communication

Consider a situation where a shipping company needs to urgently reroute vessels due to sudden weather changes. The team must quickly assess the situation, decide on new routes, and communicate these changes. Standard email systems slow down the process because each message exchange takes time, and team members may not have the latest information immediately due to the lack of real-time updates or siloed inboxes.

The inability to collaborate effectively and in real-time leads to missed opportunities, such as optimal routing, resulting in significant operational risks, like sailing into hazardous weather conditions. By enhancing cross-functional collaboration and alignment, organisations could save 12 hours weekly, thereby addressing productivity challenges.

🛳️ Learn how digital solutions minimise maritime and supply chain disruptions.

Limited transparency and information silos

Different departments in the maritime industry, such as operations, logistics, IT, finance, and compliance, are repositories of critical decision-making information. Yet, in a conventional email framework, this vital information often remains isolated within individual inboxes. 

For instance, crucial details about cargo regulations might be known only to the compliance team and not readily accessible to the operations or logistics teams. This lack of transparency creates information silos, leading to uninformed decision-making and inefficiencies.

3. Purpose-built email platforms leverage AI to drive productivity 

Unlike standard email setups where information gets lost in inboxes, maritime collaboration tools provide intelligent routing and tagging of critical messages. 

By leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), these tools ensure crucial information, such as cargo regulations, is not only sent but also highlighted and easily accessible to relevant teams like operations or logistics. For instance, automated alerts about changes in vessel schedules help avoid dangerous overcrowding or scheduling conflicts at the port. 

Norden, for example, reduced internal email volume in operations by 80% thanks to Sedna AI. That’s a quick win showing the tangible benefit of email transformation in reducing information overload. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by a large amount of messages, teams easily locate the information they need, accelerating decision-making.

Download our report on the ROI of digitalising maritime email.

Let’s review what you have to gain when transitioning from traditional email tools to purpose-built email collaboration platforms:

Explore our buyers’ guide to maritime email management software.

Drive collaboration in maritime with Sedna

Sedna’s Stream is an email management platform purpose-built to the specific needs of maritime collaboration and efficiency. By significantly reducing the time and effort traditionally spent on managing an overwhelming inbox, Sedna gives you the quick win you need to propel your digital transformation efforts. 

That’s how we offer a solid foundation for your broader maritime transformation initiatives. 

As you can see, our maritime collaboration platform even highlights urgent messages and critical emails for efficient prioritisation and response.

Alt text: Screenshot of Sedna’s maritime collaboration platform

Sedna features a user-friendly, intuitive interface that minimises the need for extensive training. No lengthy onboarding processes or complex implementation. You’ll be able to quickly realise the results of email transformation.

Ready to jumpstart your digital transformation, reaping the benefits of improved maritime collaboration? Let Sedna give you a quick win.