A Q88 customer case study of Solvang
Solvang ASA, a prominent player in the transportation of LPG and petrochemical gases, traces its roots back to 1936. From humble beginnings, the company has evolved into a global leader, with a fleet of modern vessels and aspirations to provide the safest, cleanest, and most cost-efficient delivery of LPG and petrochemical tonnage.
Reliable, high-quality deliveries are a testament to Solvang’s strength, utilizing key technology partners and experiences gained over the years to steer a steady course toward the future. One of the prominent technology partners that have supported Solvang’s operations over the years is Q88, a Veson Nautical solution bringing over two decades of vessel and voyage document management expertise to the maritime shipping industry.
Q88 and Q88 Onboard, the industry standard for tanker information management, have become integral to Solvang’s successful LPG operations. Captain Knut Vespestad, Vetting and Compliance Manager at Solvang, leverages Q88’s centralized source of vessel data to make key business decisions and continually assess performance. “Q88 saves us a lot of time and resources both regarding our day-to-day screening process with oil majors as well as the tracking, tracing, and comparison of vetting observations,” said Captain Knut. “We also use the platform for analyzing KPIs against the rest of the LPG fleet worldwide.”
As an extension of Q88, Onboard provides Captain Knut and his onshore team with updated information regarding certificate management, inspection, and questionnaires directly from the source – the offshore crew. Captain Knut added, “Onboard helps us maximize efficiency and maintain visibility into what is actually taking place on the vessel, which proves very important for safety, compliance, and commercial success.”
Vetting is a key element in the rest of the supply chain, which is why Captain Knut and his team need the most efficient workflows to ensure timely and accurate results across the business. “Throughout my time at Solvang, Q88 has been one of the key tools for the maritime superintendents (MSIs) in carrying out commercial operations,” said Captain Knut. “We would need so many more resources without Q88 – it saves us time, money, and mistakes. The solution is crucial for us in vetting, but it is also effective for the entire organization, even those not directly related to maritime.”
With daily scrutiny from oil majors, Solvang relies on Q88’s questionnaire platform to assess and clear vessels promptly. “For me, the analytics capabilities are essential because I need to explain what’s going on and why,” said Captain Knut. “I choose quarterly analytics and KPIs to compare against the world fleet, which I can present to executives directly from Q88 without having to go through the legwork to create extra documentation.”
Solvang has also implemented a standalone workload using Q88, to help automate continuous weekly reports, from vessel updates to officer’s matrix updates and Q88 QATA LPG and HVPQ updates. This automation not only saves time and resources but also minimizes the potential for human error in manual data entry. The process automatically notifies relevant team members to run the reports, ensuring timely and accurate reporting to third parties like OCIMF and CDI.
The enduring partnership between Q88 and Solvang, spanning over two decades, has facilitated workflow enhancements and personalized, hands-on support. Captain Knut recounts, “Our longstanding partnership with Q88 has resulted in a close collaboration. The Veson team is also regularly interested in our feedback and works with us to make sure product offerings are reflective of Solvang’s business goals and requirements.” Tor-Arne Berger, Product Manager at Veson, added to this sentiment, saying, “our long-term partnership with Solvang benefits both parties, and Solvang regularly provides us feedback that we use to improve our offerings. As the product manager, user feedback is very valuable, and is welcome from all our clients.”
As the industry evolves, Q88 remains a steadfast partner in supporting Solvang through shifting business needs and industry changes, such as the upcoming SIRE 2.0. Captain Knut shared, “SIRE 2.0 will expand the amount of vessel information we need to collect, so we imagine leveraging Q88 to help us meet new requirements.” Solvang continues to streamline its operations to deliver reliable and efficient services in the global LPG and petrochemical transportation industry.
