Maritime services company OSVFinder has launched a new web-based application which could improve offshore support vessels chartering, by connecting charterers and ship-owners online.
The French company is now running a testing campaign with Italian oil and gas EPC major Saipem, as part of which the latter will be sending real enquiries through OSVFinder, with the test period spanning till the end of autumn.
OSVfinder allows charterers, to quickly contact ship-owners without using intermediaries. By using the geolocation of ships, an advanced search engine and internal messaging, the application makes offshore chartering simpler, faster and cheaper.
OSVFinder is set to showcase this digital offering at ADIPEC, where it is exhibiting in Hall 9 inside the French pavilion, to be managed by Business France.
The application is for shipowners and charterers operating in offshore oil and gas and renewable marine energies. When registering on the OSVfinder platform, ship-owners indicate the availability of their vessels to charterers who need offshore marine support for offshore energy projects. The platform provides tools for direct communication between charterers and ship-owners. The application also generates market reports with statistics based on customer activity.
The service offered by the company is accessible anywhere in the world. Only an Internet connection and a subscription are necessary to be able to connect and use the application. Once ship-owners and charterers are registered on OSVfinder, they have access to all the features of the web application.
Ship-owners simply indicate the availability of their vessels, referenced in the OSVfinder database. Charterers launch their requests for availability and find a list of matching vessels corresponding to their needs, including technical specifications, geolocation, pictures, data sheets, and then directly contact corresponding ship-owners via an internal messaging system to send their calls for bids.Â
With more than 100,000 vessels and 70 international ship-owners registered such as Bourbon SA, Tidewater, Solstad, Boskalis, Seacor, Swire and Smit Lamnalco, OSVfinder’s main goal is to modernise the offshore oil and gas industry by offering a digitised service that creates a new working environment and allows time-saving tricks and economy of scale for both charterers and ship-owners.
Instead of fees that actors are used to pay, the company will run on a subscription model. Thus, OSV finder would not invoice any commissions. The Marseilles-headquartered company intends to open offices in Dubai and Singapore.
