USA: ABS Launches ‘ABS Connect’

ABS, the leading provider of classification services to the global marine and offshore industry, has launched a suite of products that will improve information transfer between the classification society and its clients around the world.

ABS Connect streamlines communications, placing more in-depth information in the hands of industry. The launch of ABS Connect is the most recent evidence of the organization’s continued efforts to develop service delivery products and practices to meet the expanding needs of the marine and offshore industry.

“As the class society of the future, ABS will continue to raise the bar in providing comprehensive services that help the marine and offshore industries meet the wide spectrum of operational and regulatory challenges,” says ABS President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki. “In today’s global environment, timely access to information is critical to managing the operations. ABS Connect will allow our clients to access key classification information at the time and place of their choosing.”

During a press conference in London on 14 May, ABS Chief Technology Officer Todd Grove introduced the company’s new mobile interface for its website at eagle.org along with the ABS Bookshelf application. Currently available for download (at no charge) from Apple’s App Store™, ABS Bookshelf is a mobile library of ABS’ extensive publications, including the more than 100 Rules and Guides available electronically and used in the design, construction and maintenance of vessels and offshore structures to ABS classification.

“The ABS Bookshelf app provides designers, builders, owners, managers and operators the ability to take ABS’ Rules and Guides anywhere in the world on their iPad or iPhone,” Grove explains. “The functionality of the app allows users to easily search and annotate key pieces of information that previously required internet access or large volumes of printed documents – all within a dedicated app designed to organize a user’s ABS documents.”

The mobile version of the ABS website is user-friendly and also allows for the downloading of ABS publications, including the Rules and Guides, onto any mobile device including BlackBerries and Androids. The mobile website streamlines clients’ access to key areas of the website including the hub of ABS classification services – My Eagle.

The new ABS mobile website and ABS Bookshelf app will soon be joined by ABS Survey Manager and ABS Directory apps, prototypes of which were presented at the press conference. The ABS Survey Manager app allows owners and managers a secure means to search real-time class and survey information on their ABS-classed fleet and then store it on their device. The ABS Directory provides contact details for ABS offices around the world through a direct search or GPS location functionality. Both apps will be available this summer.

“ABS Connect is the first phase of the new ABS class experience,” Wiernicki says. “In the coming months, through ABS Connect we will roll out additional products and applications to allow quick and efficient access to the information and class services decision makers need. It’s all about having ready access to information whenever and wherever you need it.”

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Source: ABS, May 15, 2012