New port equipment alliance

(Posted on 07/09/20)

Two global leaders in maritime procurement and project management have joined forces to offer port and terminal operators a turnkey solution that cuts procurement costs and overheads while also increasing staff productivity.

Lifecycle contract management specialist and iSpec creator Remy InfoSource is now partnering with Trent Port Services, an international port services and solutions company, to offer port companies a combined service solution that enables the easy establishment and oversight of a single capital expenditure (Capex) budget for all equipment procurement, third party factory inspections and project management requirements.

“By outsourcing complex equipment projects to our new partnership, large and small port companies can reduce the in-house time, costs and resources usually allocated to manage a complex expansion project from idea to completion,” said Pieter Boshoff, CEO of Remy InfoSource.

When a port procures, for example, a Ship-to-Shore crane, it usually allocates a percentage of that Capex to Third Party Inspections (TPI), design review meetings and periodic project manager visits to the crane factory. In addition, overhead costs often not included in Capex numbers usually include maintenance and refurbishment of systems used for project management, corporate headcounts for managing strategic projects, and office overheads to support a larger corporate team.

“All of this adds significant extra costs – often hidden - onto most port expansion or upgrade projects, taking the delivered price beyond the original budget,” said Boshoff.

“Under this new business model we are offering with Trent Port Services, we can take on all turn-key equipment procurement, taking away these additional costs and distractions for a small percentage of the overall Capex budget, enabling customers to outsource projects, reduce management costs and free up in-house resources for core operations.”

The turnkey product offered by Remy InfoSource and Trent Port Services combines the deployment of iSpec, Remy InfoSource’s innovative web and mobile-based software procurement solution for buyers of capital-intensive equipment, with the renowned port project management expertise of Trent Port Services.

“This solution enables port operators and their employees to focus on what they do best – managing ports, operations and their customers,” said Jon Arnup, Founder & CEO of Trent Port Services. “We take on the entire project using a single Capex budget approach. This cuts down management and procurement costs with payment milestones aligned to the deliverables of each individual project.

“When a port is not buying equipment, it therefore has zero overheads and costs. In other words, you only pay when you need something. This reduces corporate costs on labour, systems maintenance, corporate server farms and other overheads.

“For larger port operators, this tangibly improves project visibility and collaboration between corporate, regions and individual terminals, while reducing costs. For smaller ports, the overhead and manpower savings are substantial.”

Remy InfoSource and Trent Port Services are longstanding collaborators, not least because Trent Port Services is one of iSpec’s foremost customers. Complex port expansion or upgrade projects can take many years to plan and complete, and cost overruns, delays and implementation failures are common. Most project management systems aim to support this process. However, unlike iSpec, they focus on the vendor/provider instead of the buying organisation.

Latest News

Smart Ship Hub expects breakthrough year for digitalisation in 2026

Leading vessel performance platform Smart Ship Hub says the industry should expect a breakthrough year... Read more

Accelerating zero-carbon shipping in the Nordics

The Nordic countries are taking an important step towards decarbonising maritime transport with the... Read more

Steelpaint appoints ADD Marine to drive growth in Greece and Cyprus

Germany’s Steelpaint has appointed ADD Marine as its representative for Greece and Cyprus, strengthening... Read more

Rio Tinto’s first Pilbara-made rail car built by Gemco in Karratha

Rio Tinto’s first Pilbara-made iron ore rail car has rolled off the production line in Karratha... Read more

Electric Liebherr portal crane strengthens Baria Serece, Vietnam

Precision meets progress at Phu My Port, Vietnam. The LPS 550 has been deployed to handle bulk commodities... Read more

bound4blue targets Asian growth with new production capabilities

bound4blue, a global leader in wind propulsion systems, has expanded its industrial footprint in Asia... Read more

DNV: Methanol as marine fuel at high readiness level

As the industry explores multiple decarbonisation pathways, methanol is gaining attention as a practical... Read more

Repeat Aasen bulk carrier order emphasises Wärtsilä hybrid strength

Technology group Wärtsilä will supply an integrated hybrid propulsion system for a bulk carrier... Read more

Superior bring big iron and bigger ideas

Superior Industries, Inc., a US-based manufacturer and global supplier of bulk material processing and... Read more

ESL connectivity upgrade enables smarter operations and supports crew wellbeing

ESL Shipping has taken a significant step forward in digitalisation by deploying a new multichannel... Read more