e-Procurement on the Rise in Marine Purchasing

The results of ShipServ’s latest annual “Internet Use in Shipping” survey were recently published. ShipServ is a provider of one of the leading web-based e-commerce platforms for the shipping industry.

The survey looks at the use of the internet and e-commerce in the shipping industry with the aim of building an understanding of how trends in business-to-business e-commerce are impacting the maritime sector.

The results of this year’s survey showed a quickening of observable trends in internet use, with many respondents adopting new tools and working methods to adapt to challenging shipping market conditions.

The survey’s key findings were as follows:

• Many more marine buyers and suppliers are using internet to source and transact, with significant (15%) increase in usage between 2010 and 2011
• Users consider peer reviews on suppliers and the selection of trusted websites as the two most important factors in influencing a purchasing decision from an internet provider
• Respondents said faster transaction speed was greatest benefit of doing business over internet
  
  
  

The survey collected opinions both online and offline from purchasing managers and suppliers from the world’s leading ship-owners, managers and suppliers during the IMPA 2011 exhibition and conference.

The GL ShipManager Procurement system offers a direct interface to ShipServ’s TradeNet platform which provides access to a network of over 12,000 suppliers actively trading on the platform. Communication with the suppliers through the GL ShipManager system is fully automated so that, e.g. no manual entry of data is necessary when processing supplier quotations.

For more information contact:
Kevin Brunn
Sales Manager
GL Maritime Software

Read also ShipServ’s “Internet Use in Shipping” survey »