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Japan backs IMX in new dry bulk ventureLondon, October 25th, 2001 LEADING maritime software provider, Strategic Software and e-JAN Corporation, the Japanese internet shipping group established by NYK Line have announced a joint venture launching on 1st November 2001. The two companies have joined forces to create e-JAN/DrybulkIMX, a web-based application enabling seamless data exchange and management, for companies involved in dry bulk ocean transportation. David Marais, chairman of Strategic Software says, "Combining the talent and resources of e-JAN Corporation and Strategic Software brings together two established companies with reputations for servicing the entire shipping community - shipbrokers, charterers and shipowners. By linking desktop systems developed by Strategic, through the use of internet technology designed in co-operation with e-JAN, we bring tools to the industry that offer immediate cost and time savings for our customers." Naotake Kondo, president of e-JAN Corporation says, " e-JAN has been developing its own web-based chartering technology for a year, while Strategic has been developing IMX since last year. e-JAN/DrybulkIMX integrates both services to offer advanced information liquidity. e-JAN has been aiming at global coverage of our service starting from the Japan and Asia markets, while Strategic has initially focused on Europe and America. Our coalition is a natural progression for the common good of both companies and our respective customers. Shipbrokers will continue to play an important role in the shipping community as mediators between carriers and charterers, and we would be happy to offer our new tools to assist them." e-JAN/DrybulkIMX is a set of tools to support the pre-fixture chartering and post-fixture voyage management process. The application will enable users to share data in a private and confidential environment. Through close dialogue with e-JAN's members and Strategic's customers, the ongoing development of e-JAN/DrybulkIMX will closely reflect user requirements. It will initially focus on offering tools to eliminate labour intensive, data re-typing tasks in connection with the management and communication of vessel positions and cargo orders. Sophisticated filtering capabilities contribute to more efficient sorting and management of incoming information. Future developments will include an on-line voyage estimator and distance tables, as well as post-fixture support tools to enable voyage data acquisition at source and laytime calculation tools. Marais says, "We have agreed a subscription structure that will give users access to this new technology at a fixed cost rather than using unclear and complicated transaction-based fees." Kuniaki Shirakuma, executive vice president of NYK Line says, "With e-JAN/DrybulkIMX we aim to offer a single and common platform open for every industry running their own trading sites such as coal, ores, grain, steel products, chemicals and others. Their requirements for transport information in terms of logistics and Supply Chain Management will be easily provided by this site through the internet." e-JAN/DrybulkIMX Operating Company Ltd, the joint venture company that operates e-JAN/DrybulkIMX, is registered in the British Virgin Islands. Strategic holds 60 per cent of the equity, and e-JAN holds 40 per cent. Naotake Kondo, president of e-JAN Corporation has been elected as chairman of the new company, while Peter Rygaard Andersen, business development director of IMX at Strategic Software will assume the position of president.
For more information contact: Issued by: Claire Rich, Merlin Corporate Communications:
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