Bureau Veritas, an international certification agency, said it is integrating its digital platforms with the [bluester] online marketplace and providing independent vendor qualification services to [bluester] users.

Germany-based [bluester] provides smart online tools and applications for the maritime industry to optimise supply chain processes concerned with technical and professional maritime support services.

The cooperation agreement was signed by Matthieu de Tugny, chief operating officer, marine and offshore, Bureau Veritas, and Christoph Kiese, chief executive officer, [bluester]; at SMM, a leading international maritime trade fair, being held in Hamburg, Germany, said a statement from the agency.
 
Kiese said: “Whether it is diving inspections, lifeboat maintenance and repair services, compass calibrations, CO2 bottle refills, load testing of cargo cranes through to dry docking or hull or damage surveys, we are providing visibility and transparency in a competitive market place.”

The company’s online marketplace enables buyers and suppliers to settle through a common interface using a set of streamlined processes. Ship managers and service providers automatically, impartially and transparently match against their own predefined criteria for direct contract conclusion on the platform, it said.

“Both the market coverage of [bluester] and the functionality has established what we think is a unique platform in the maritime industry,” he added.

Desktop and global online verification of [bluester] listed service providers by Bureau Veritas will add to the safety, reliability and efficiency of direct contracting through [bluester] as service providers’ qualifications and documentation will benefit from impartial validation.

Deep integration of the [bluester] platform into Bureau Veritas’ own digital tools VeriSTAR Info, My VeriSTAR, BV Approval Explorer and PSC Ready provides added value and benefits to customers of the 11,000+ ships classed by Bureau Veritas.

Bureau Veritas customers will have access to the [bluester] marketplace via a single sign on and receive special user benefits.

Once registered with [bluester], Bureau Veritas customers access the portal with the click of a button from their familiar BV desktop and mobile platforms. The special benefits inter- alia include easy transfer of data.

De Tugny said: “Partnering with [bluester] is a strategic decision for us. We believe that smart online applications, focused on the enhancement of dedicated market processes in the maritime industry, are an important element of digitisation in the maritime sector.”

“This deal is good for our clients, we hope, and for [bluester]’s users,” he added.

Kiese continued: “Through the cooperation with Bureau Veritas, not only for the first time in shipping, a global marketplace for maritime support services is accessible, but market participants can also rely on the commercial and legal information shared by buyers and suppliers.”

“This significantly adds value to the allocation process of the entire industry. Additionally, the highly secure user ranking installed is another element that makes the use of our online platform beneficial for all ship managers and service providers,” he added. – TradeArabia News Service