Digitalization by Advantum

Digitalization proves immense value to shipping

The digital revolution is transforming the world. Data is being generated, shared, stored, and analyzed in amounts, and at speeds, that are increasing exponentially every year. Today, the data we create, access, and control is having an increasing impact both on how we live and on how industry performs.

It is therefore fortuitous that, even as the world became immersed in the Covid-19 pandemic, digitalization in some key industries had progressed to the stage where digital information flows were driving the automation of processes and functions, and was therefore able to positively impact both safety and commercial performance. The Caribbean maritime industry has embraced digitalization and this is proving to be of immense value in keeping the supply chain open, even during the height of the pandemic.

Before going any further, it is useful to differentiate between “digitization” and “digitalization”. Digitization is the conversion of analog information to digitized data, while digitalization is the use of digital technologies and digitized data to impact how work gets done, transform how customers and companies engage and interact, and create new (digital) revenue streams. Automation, for example, has become a form of digital technology.

Automated systems keeping the supply chain open

As Caribbean Shipping Association (CSA) President Juan Carlos Croston noted in his address to the CSA’s Annual General Meeting last year, “because the regional industry has embraced change and new technologies that can improve our efficiencies…we have been able to keep the supply chain open and responsive to the needs of our people.”

Many Caribbean and Latin American countries have implemented the Port Community System (PCS) which, along with ASYCUDA (the Automated System for Customs Data) have formed the foundation of automated systems that have allowed the shipping industry to reduce the need for human interaction. These steps are only the beginning of the digital transformation of the industry.

Long gone are the days when shipping companies were forced to manually manage their operations through spreadsheets. Now with digital technology such as the Advantum Software suite which provides workflow automations, these companies can now manage vessel and cargo manifests, billing and invoicing or even the tracking of their warehouse inventory with just a few clicks. The Advantum Software Suite also integrates with Third Party Systems, meaning that it communicates with other business systems, shipping partners (PCS and ASYCUDA) and electronic data interchange (EDI) partners. Advanced solutions such as this are flexible and user-friendly, and customers can choose from on-premises or cloud-based options to access the system from anywhere in the world.

IMO encourages digitalization

Looking ahead, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is encouraging greater use of digitalization and new technologies. Speaking during a recent webinar on Digital Connectivity and Data Standards, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim said the pandemic demonstrated how important the maritime industry was to the global economy and community, but that a new way of thinking was needed to help it recover. 

“It is crucially important to ensure the functioning of the global supply chains and the facilitation of the safe and efficient operation of maritime transport,” Lim said, adding that “Digitalization, big data, and new technologies such as artificial intelligence are key in enabling the post-Covid recovery and taking shipping into this new era.”

It is therefore heartening that the Caribbean has its own ICT professionals who are providing the leading-edge technology and services that are taking our maritime sector further along the communication seaway.

You can request a free Advantum consultation to see how your business can benefit from utilising digital technology by contacting 876-923-7022 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..