AN ECOMMERCE platform designed for the shipping industry has been announced by Singapore business Marine Online.
According to the proponents, more than 10,000 product listings and 4000 service providers have already started using the platform to provide marine services including chartering, bunkering, port agency, ship supply and crewing and ship sale and purchase.
Marine Online chief operating officer Stephen Qi said shipowners formed the core of the shipping industry and were the source of business for all marine suppliers.
“However, recent global economic uncertainties place tremendous strain on shipowners to maintain their operations and this vicious cycle continues downstream to their suppliers,” Mr Qi said.
“Marine Online spent three years developing eMarineOnline.com, with great ambitions to cut operational costs, improve efficiency and promote transparency within the maritime ecosystem, and eventually to bring sustainable profitability back to the industry,” he said.
“This onestop integrated maritime platform, accessible via online and through its mobile app, enables sellers from all over the world to list their products and services.”
Mr Qi said it was essential to understand that the marine industry was specialised and a typical eCommerce marketplace model would fail.
Vice-president of Marine Online, Tiger Cai, said every supplier in Marine Online had the chance to take their business to the next level on the platform by gaining access to potential clients and providing excellent services.
“We hope to be able to develop a robust system and database, leveraging on data science to support a holistic financing system that helps business development, especially for small-medium businesses in the industry,” Mr Cai said.
