New ECDIS navigation systems for Vertom: ’It's great to have an all-in-one partner’

The Vertom Group is an experienced and reliable partner within the maritime industry that focuses on professional maritime services and support in sea transport. With almost 50 years of experience, the Vertom Group has built a strong track record in the Short Sea Shipping market. Vertom currently manages around 60 vessels, and the technical management is divided between two offices in Groningen, the Netherlands and Neermoor, Germany. 

For 12 vessels of the Vertom Groningen vessels, Datema was given the order to replace the ECDIS navigation systems.

For years, Datema Nautical Safety has been collaborating with Vertom Groningen. Datema provided data for digital charts, among other services. Datema has supplied data for digital charts, among other services. Given the seamless nature of this collaboration, when Vertom expressed interest in replacing the navigation systems on their vessels a few years ago, Datema was promptly chosen to execute the project.

Stagnation means decline

Dirk Helmig, technical superintendent at Vertom, emphasizes the importance of innovation. ‘We place a high value on innovation,’ Dirk begins. ‘There's a reason they say stagnation leads to decline. That's why we allocate a budget every year to upgrade our equipment. Since our primary navigation systems were in need of replacement, we aimed to address this to maintain the quality of our operations. We sought a new system which meets the demands for the future.’

Everything under one roof

‘We reached out to multiple vendors for quotes, but ultimately chose Datema. They had been providing us with digital charts and other services for years, and that collaboration had been highly satisfactory. Additionally, consolidating our services with one provider was reassuring. Previously, our hardware had been sourced from a different vendor, which functioned adequately but posed potential risks. If issues arose with the system or charts, there was a possibility of the vendors deflecting blame onto each other. This could leave our crew uncertain and caught in the crossfire of disagreements between providers. Having a single party responsible for both aspects offers substantial advantages.’

Smooth transition

It turned out to be a wise decision,’ explains Dirk. ‘The transition to the new systems went very smoothly. There were few obstacles throughout the project. The primary challenge was planning, which is inherent to working with ships. Our focus was primarily on docking times, but these are not always predictable. Sometimes ships arrived late or had to depart early due to unforeseen conditions. As a result, the timeframe became too tight, necessitating the postponement of installation on a specific ship. However, these decisions were always made through careful consultation with Datema. Given that we're dealing with a ship's primary navigation, it's crucial to ensure proper execution without rushing. You shouldn't take risks with that.’

Direct communication

‘Communication went very smoothly throughout the project. We maintained direct contact and closely monitored the progress. We had each other's contact information readily available, and if needed, we were able to meet in person at a moment's notice. Another positive aspect was that we had agreed upon a fixed price with Datema beforehand. In many cases, additional costs arise with other providers, such as delays. However, this was not an issue with Datema. We had established a fixed price in advance, based on the number of hours Datema would be working. It was reassuring for us to have clarity about the financial aspect of the project from the outset.’

Faster than expected

‘Initially, we estimated that completing the entire project, which involved transitioning 12 ships, would take approximately two years, based on the scheduled dockings. However, in the end, the transition was completed in just about a year and a half! The feedback from the crew has been overwhelmingly positive. They are enthusiastic about the new system and have adapted to it well. Naturally, implementing a new system comes with its challenges. The crew has to familiarize themselves with thousands of settings, requiring training and initially leading to questions. Thankfully, these questions were promptly addressed, and we didn’t encounter any significant issues.’

A partner to rely on

In conclusion, Dirk states: ‘I would wholeheartedly recommend Datema to others. Not only for their navigation systems, but also for their comprehensive range of services and quality support. Everything operates seamlessly, from automated supplies to safety equipment. Having an all-in-one partner you can depend on, even in the future, is invaluable.’

Future

On the digital side Datema is continuously developing the integrated Chartplanner software and voyage planning software. In the near future the focus is a direct link between the bridge PC and the ECDIS systems so the updates are transported to the ECDIS directly and immediately, ensuring compliancy of the vessel. Of course this needs to be done in a Cyber Secure and approved way.

Regarding physical products Datema has designed a service where we keep track of all the Pyrotechnics expiry dates onboard the Vertom vessels with the ECDIS systems. Datema automatically delivers new Pyrotechnics before the expiry date is reached, again ensuring the vessels are maximum compliant.