Company Magazine for the Odfjell Group - April 2008

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ICT systems renewal programmeBy Tor JürgensenOver the last twodecades the numberof businesscritical ICT solutionsin Odfjell hasincreased substantially,and we useICT to continuouslyimprove ourcustomer service,internal and external communication,productivity, quality of work, assetutilization, and reporting and control.The business units have matured significantlyregarding efficient use of ICTtools, and requirements for new andimproved functionality for our ICT solutionshave been a top priority for thecompany. To fulfil these requirementsand to benefit from the rapid developmentin information technology, Odfjelltop management has initiated a programmeto renew most of our businesscritical ICT solutions.Screen image from the Terminal Management SystemThe renewal programme will take placeover several years, founded on a commonOdfjell ICT Strategy. Important elementsof this strategy are:• When possible implement standardbusiness systems. “SAP BusinessSuite” is Odfjell’s preferredapplication platform.• All business critical systems shall behosted at Odfjell’s Corporate DataCentre, with 24-hour availability.Users shall connect to the systemsthrough Odfjell’s Global Network.• Strong focus on ICT Security andcontingency preparedness solutions.• Business units to be alwaysresponsible for project ownershipwhen developing or implementingnew ICT solutions.Our purpose is to achieve reduced ICTcosts, increased efficiency by sharingexperience and knowledge, standardizationon work procedures, improvedconsistency and visibility of informationwithin the various systems, and stableand secure ICT systems that are availableto the users at all time.To make sure we address all importantrequirements, and to have a structuredand manageable process when implementingnew or replacing existing solutions,we apply a five step developmentmethod.During the Envisioning phase we defineproject goals, analyse work processesand determine project requirements.Choice of technology means decidingon which system platform to implementthe new solution. The Business Blueprintphase involves specifying how the chosensystem/technology has to be set upin order to fulfil Odfjell’s requirements.In the Construction phase we build thesystem and test it according to our specifications.Finally we go live, i.e. set thesystem into production, train the users,define all system routines, and migratenecessary date from any old systems.Terminal Management SystemThe Terminal Management System (TMS)will replace several old and somewhatoutdated operational and administrativemanagement systems at our terminalswith one global system supportingsales (contract management and orderintake), planning and scheduling, orderexecution, stock administration, invoicing,and customs administration. Thesystem will also offer a customer informationportal, including facilitating e-capabilities for the customers.The TMS project is now at the end ofthe construction phase, and we will golive in Houston in July 2008. Start-up atour terminal in Rotterdam will be thisautumn, and later on the system will18 Odfjell Quarterly April 2008
currently in its envisioning phase, wherewe are analysing business processes anddefine functional requirements. We estimatethis phase to be finished late autumn2008. The next step then will be tomake an evaluation of technology.Einar Øye is managing the project, andSigmund Larsen, Morten Nystad and JanA. Hammer are its business owners.Tom HagesætherTrond Ove Jacobsenbe implemented at all Odfjell managedterminals. Project manager for the TMSproject is Tom Hagesæther, and OdfjellTerminals representatives Marcel vanden Nieuwendijk and Dave Ellis are TMSproject owners.New systems for Odfjell TankersThe system portfolio for Odfjell Tankerswas developed in-house from 1996to 2003. Due to long and complex developmentcycles, parts of the systemsare based on different system softwareversions. This complicates maintenanceand further development. Autumn2007 we initiated a project to replacethe Odfjell Tankers systems, with a newsolution based on a standard EnterpriseResource Planning (ERP) platform. Ourvision is to develop a tool that ensurehigh quality and efficient work performance,and at the same time giveeasy access to accurate and relevantinformation. We also want customers,agents, and other stakeholders to beable to interact efficiently with relevantOdfjell processes.The first version of the new system willincorporate processes such as contractand sales, voyage planning and execution,voyage closure and follow-up, andreporting and analysis. The project isEinar ØyeNew Human Resources SystemCurrently Odfjell has two separate mainHR systems, one for the seafarers andone for shore personnel, in addition toseveral minor supporting systems. Wehave now initiated a project to replacethese systems with one common solution,the HR SAP system. The system willhandle all personnel administration,including salary, absence registration,competence development, recruitmentand travel administration. HR SAP willoffer self-service capabilities for employeesand management.The project is currently in the initiationof the envisioning phase. According tothe project plan the new system will beimplemented at Odfjell’s main officeduring 2009 and be operational fromthe beginning of 2010. After successfulimplementation at the main office thesystem will be rolled out to all businessunits. Trond Ove Jacobsen is managerof the project and Brit A. Bennett is itsbusiness owner.New Intranet and Internet solutionIn 2001 we introduced Odfjell’s currentIntranet/Internet solution, with the purposeto unite our global organisationunder one common computer system,and to distribute information simultaneouslyto all business units regardlessof geographical location. However, thetechnology behind our Intranet/Internetsolution has not followed the generaldevelopment of WEB technology,and consequently we now see that thefunctionality is restricted.To bring our systems up to date a projectwill start up in second quarter 2008,with the purpose of acquiring a newplatform for intranet and internet.Odfjell Quarterly April 2008 19
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Company Magazine for the Odfjell Group - April 2008

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