Oslo, Norway – ‘K’ Line Ship Management (KLSM), a subsidiary of Japanese shipping giant ‘K’ Line, has awarded an expanded contract extension to BASS, citing the software’s contribution to running more efficient operations and saving costs. The contract further solidifies BASS’ position as the leading international fleet management software provider in Japan.

The new contract builds upon ‘K’ Line’s eight-year relationship with BASS and entails the purchase of maintenance, procurement, document management, safety management, risk management and self assessment (TMSA) modules.

“After a comprehensive evaluation of the leading maritime software companies, we selected BASS due to the suite’s functionality and forward-looking technology. We always take a long-term perspective when investing in our fleet – something that’s even more vital given the current global economic situation – and we’re confident that we’ve chosen the most robust software and the right strategic partner for our current and future operations,” says ‘K’ Line ship management president Satoru Kuboshima.

According to BASS managing director Per Steinar Upsaker, the contract includes the implementation of BASSnet™ 2.5 fleet management systems onboard close to 50 ‘K’ Line vessels managed by KLSM. “We view this multi-year contract extension as a strong endorsement of the quality of our products and services,” says Upsaker. “Winning new contracts is important, but our business relies on maintaining long-term relationships with our existing customers. This contract sends a clear message to the industry about the quality of our offering and our commitment to maintaining customer trust.”

Contributing to ‘K’ Line’s bottom line

Though the contract only covers vessels operated by KLSM, the company’s success with BASSnet fleet management systems has created interest in other parts of the ‘K’ Line Group. “We see that people in the ‘K’ Line Group view BASSnet fleet management systems as more than simply administrative tools – they also make significant contributions to the company’s bottom line,” says Upsaker. “They recognise the advantage of implementing one system throughout their entire fleet so they get access to vital data in the same format. For a company of this size, small changes can make a big difference.”

KLSM will benefit from the new, fully integrated modules launched in BASSnet 2.5, which include BASSnet Risk Manager, BASSnet Self Assessment (TMSA) and BASSnet SAFIR. Like other BASSnet modules, the new products are developed on the stable, future-proof Microsoft.NET platform and include user-friendly features for the effective and efficient management of risks and safety performance onboard and ashore. In addition, KLSM purchased the previously existing maintenance systems, procurement solutions and document management systems modules in early 2009 – thereby making up a full suite of BASSnet fleet management systems.

Making the best even better

Upsaker says that providing services to large players has played a key role in helping BASS develop new modules and improve functionalities and after-sales. “Like many large, successful companies, KLSM demands a lot from their suppliers. We recognize how our relationship with KLSM has helped strengthen BASS, and look forward to working with them in the future.”