Background
STS Marine Solutions (STSMS) operates marine and vessel-based operations in the marine logistics sector. Its customers, in-house operators, and offshore teams rely on timely cargo updates during transportation of large vessels. Maintaining consistent and accurate cargo visibility is critical because operations are spread across multiple vessels and remote locations.
Coaldev was engaged to design and develop a digital cargo tracking and communication IT system that could operate reliably in marine environments, including conditions with poor or intermittent connectivity.
Challenges
STSMS needed a way to give customers direct, real-time visibility into cargo status, rather than relying on periodic manual updates. Manual workflows made it difficult to keep customers, operators, and offshore teams aligned on the current state of each job, particularly across vessels and remote locations.
Some of the problems shared during the discovery call included:
Customers of STSMS did not have a real-time dashboard to view cargo status during transport and depended on manual updates
Internal-facing stakeholders like operators and offshore teams relied on email and phone calls to share updates, resulting in delays and coordination gaps.
Mooring Masters operated in low-connectivity environments, making it difficult to consistently record and transmit updates.
STSMS lacked a centralized system to track active jobs and review historical cargo activity across vessels.
Solution
Coaldev developed a multi-tier digital system to centralize cargo tracking and communication across all stakeholders involved in the company’s vessel operations.
The solution included the following components:
1. Document Hub
Centralized repository for operational plans, permits, and invoices with version control and access management.
2. Customer Dashboard
An intuitive, user-friendly dashboard that allows customers to monitor cargo in real time with clear status updates throughout vessel operations.
3. Web Portal
A dedicated web portal for operators where STSMS staff can manage active jobs and send structured updates efficiently to customers from a single interface.
4. Mobile Application
A lightweight mobile application for mooring masters with an offline database designed for poor-connectivity environments. Updates are stored locally when offline and automatically synced once the connection is restored, ensuring consistent job reporting from offshore locations.
5. Automated Notifications
Email and in-app alerts are sent to customers, operators, and Mooring Masters to notify them of important cargo events without requiring manual follow-ups.
6. Live Chat
A built-in chat feature that enables real-time communication between customers and operators for faster issue resolution compared to email or phone-based workflows.
Together, these components ensured that all stakeholders remained informed through a single, synchronized system.
Results
Coaldev delivered a cargo management platform tailored for marine logistics operations.
Key Outcomes
- Automated RFQ intake and approval: Reduced manual processing time through an integrated approval flow.
- End-to-end cargo visibility: Real-time dashboards provided customers with up-to-date shipment progress.
- Field mobility: A Mobile app with offline sync capabilities empowered field staff to update data on-site.
- Faster communication: Built-in chat and notifications accelerated decision-making and reduced turnaround delays.
All stakeholders (operators, customers, and field staff) benefited from the platform. Operators managed job updates and customer communication through the web portal, reducing repeated status inquiries and manual coordination.
Mooring Masters captured updates in offshore environments without connectivity and synced them automatically once a connection became available, ensuring job progress was recorded consistently.
For STSMS, the system provided a centralized view of all active jobs, making it easier to track ongoing operations and review completed cargo movements across vessels.
Technical Overview
The architecture combines a JavaScript-based frontend with a Python-based backend for scalability and flexibility.
The system was designed as a multi-tier architecture supporting web and mobile interfaces, offline data storage, automated synchronization, and real-time updates across stakeholders.
Tools & Technologies
- Cloud Infrastructure Tools
- Web and Mobile App Frameworks
- Real-Time Data Dashboards
- Workflow Automation Systems
Future Direction
STSMS has a foundation to extend digital workflows across additional vessels and operational processes. The system can be expanded to support deeper reporting, additional automation, and broader operational visibility as marine operations continue to scale.
Turn your operational complexity into a system.
Book a 1-on-1 call with a Coaldev partner to discuss your workflows, constraints, and what a similar system could look like for your organization.
