Sullivan Maritime, a local shipping services provider, has launched a new business application called FastBook. Designed from the ground up to work as a ubiquitous service running on desktop, smartphone or tablet, the software uses responsive web design and a custom-built application framework to deliver benefits and productivity gains for both Sullivan staff and clients alike.
Ernest Sullivan, managing director at Sullivan Maritime, describes the system as “a professional platform that eliminates, in greater part, staff human error while recording client accountability, thereby saving time and costly errors in the interest of both the company and its clients”.
FastBook allows the company’s clients to book trailers and other vehicles on to managed cargo vessels sailing into and out of Malta. Staff can see the status of bookings for each voyage at a glance, and can review and approve the booking of vehicles containing special cargo such as hazardous or temperature-sensitive goods, before using the application to automatically send loading lists to the loading ports and vessels. A variety of custom reports are available to the staff in order to generate legally required documentation and provide information to the vessel operators. FastBook replaces an entirely manual system which was based around multiple spreadsheets and was extremely paper-intensive.
FastBook also delivers added value to Sullivan Maritime’s clients, something that was seen as critical to the success of the project. Simplification of the ordering process has resulted in time savings and productivity gains in order preparation, management and execution.
Automatic e-mail confirmation of bookings provides an additional level of reassurance. This all provides Sullivan Maritime clients with competitive advantages that can in turn be passed on to their clients through better shipment tracking, reporting and intelligence.
FastBook’s design and technical development was carried out by Mangion & Lightfoot, a brand design and web development company with offices in Malta and the UK, who also designed the company’s corporate website.
www.sullivanmaritime.com.mt