Long work hours and long stretches away from land have made rotational positions more popular in the maritime industry. These ‘time for time’ schedules benefit superyachts by boosting crew retention, enhancing onboard culture, and increasing guest and owner satisfaction.
Challenges With Current Technology
While the industry has adapted to this new work culture, the current onboard technology for organising crew schedules is lacking. The maritime industry relies heavily on efficient time management, from commercial vessels with tight schedules to superyachts with meticulously planned itineraries. Keeping everything organised is key to smooth operations.
To tackle these organisational challenges, ex-yacht engineer Tomasz Pankowski developed software specifically for managing superyacht crew schedules. Tomasz spent 6.5 years working on superyachts over 100 meters and graduated from Gdynia Maritime University in 2017 with a BEng in Mechanical Engineering, specialising in Ship Propulsion Plant and Offshore Construction Operation. He also has experience working on cargo vessels and in shipyards as a service engineer.
During his time in the superyacht industry, Tomasz observed the shortcomings of current onboard methods and the errors that arise from using outdated technologies like Microsoft Excel:
“Excel is still used to manage crew rotation on many boats, causing mistakes and miscommunication. This leads to time and money being wasted, frustration for crew and guests, and interference with the boat’s schedule.
I always wanted to have clear access to my schedule for at least a year ahead and see any updates and changes straight away. It is important for crew members to know what is going on at any moment so that they can plan their private lives. Receiving and sending relevant documents and reading travel instructions is also in one place. This is now possible on the MyRotat Mobile App.”
A Streamlined Solution
The MyRotat platform aims to boost efficiency onboard by offering a comprehensive mobile and desktop solution for yacht management.
- It allows companies and crew to track movements and update schedules easily
- The software automatically generates rotation calendars based on predefined types, extending schedules as needed, eliminating the need for manual updates
- For crew members with rotational partners, calendars are created simultaneously for a complete overview of activities
Key features include uploading travel instructions and relevant documents, like crew policies and manuals, which can be marked as mandatory reading. The mobile app lets crew view schedules, submit requests, receive travel documents, and access the ship’s knowledge base. Notifications reduce unnecessary emails and streamline tasks.
Clients receive a ready-to-use product with an initial database, allowing data migration from past records. This consolidation makes crew management more efficient. The software is adaptive, automated, modern, scalable, and user-friendly, with customisation options for each client.
Building On Positive Industry Feedback
MyRotat has received great feedback from the industry and is planning a launch for testing to maximise user satisfaction and improve the software. Initial market research got positive responses from shore-based administration company Virtual Pursers, who said, “It’s a great product and we can see a real need for it,” and from captains of several vessels over 60 metres, including the 62-metre M/Y Roma. Many yachts have shown interest, highlighting the demand for the software.
With many vessels interested, customised demo links with a software tour guide are being sent out, allowing users to explore the features and functionality firsthand. Overall, this new software promises to save time and money in crew management, offering a better alternative to current solutions and meeting the industry’s need for more efficient tools.
MYROTAT is a crew rotation management software dedicated for yachts and yacht crew. Effortlessly manage and plan your crew rotation with MYROTAT. Their software simplifies the process, offering automatic calendar generation based on predefined rotation types for your desired time period. Easily make manual adjustments, knowing that web and mobile apps are always synced and up to date.
For more information on MyRotat, or to request a demo link, visit: https://myrotat.com/
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