Wilhelmsen Ships Service is preparing to move to Phase 2 of its recently launched Ships Spares Logistics (SSL) “First Mile to Last Mile” offer. This service provides a single point of contact for managing the delivery of spare parts from manufacturer to vessel, with total visibility on data and associated prices.
Vidar Hole, Business Director Maritime Logistics Services at Wilhelmsen Ships Service comments: “Over 60 customers and more than 200 vessels have now started to use this offer. We are pleased to see that the number of customers signing up has increased significantly in the past months. “
The next phase will include upgrades in the SSL application to allow for increased efficiencies in quoting and invoicing processes, which will give the customer quicker response times. SSL combines the establishment of a central Freight Forwarding Centre with an online service which provides its contract customers with the ability to see the location and status of their orders as well as offering a number of reporting features.
Commenting on the future Hole says, “To take our offer even further we will stay focused on selected logistics services and specific market segments. The global offers will require close cooperation in the worldwide Wilhelmsen Ships Service network across regions, as well as strong central management and support.” He adds, “The company has put in place virtually all the SSL specialists required in our Customer Services department and is close to building the strongest team of logisticians the Wilhelmsen Group has ever seen.”
“There is a growing market for these maritime related logistics services,” says Hole. “Wilhelmsen Ships Service has a great network of offices, local knowledge and capabilities. Until the launch of SSL, our logistics activities had been rather fragmented geographically. Our key challenge is to connect our international logistics capabilities and develop competitive global offerings. This will require resources, time and alignment on different management levels, but I am very confident that we will succeed in increasing our market share in the segments we have selected.”