Case StudiesMobile Pilotage Recording System - Tablets
Integrated · Case Study
Taking Data Capture to the Tug Made Pilotage Information Available Almost Instantly
Private Seaport in India·India
IT & AutomationPeople & ProcessBusiness Excellence
Key Impact
“Tablet-based recording moved pilotage data capture directly to tugs, making operational data available almost instantly”
Context & Background
Marine pilotage operations involve guiding vessels safely into and out of berths. During these critical maneuvers, precise timings of berthing, unberthing, line handling, tug assistance, and pilot boardings must be logged. Historically, pilotage data was recorded manually on paper chits or logs and transcribed later into central systems after pilots returned ashore.
Key Challenges
1A significant time lag existed between field execution on the water and the availability of operational data in port management systems.
2Paper-based recording in turbulent marine environments created potential for transcription errors, illegible entries, and lost details.
3Port operations and billing teams had to wait hours for physical paperwork to arrive before updating vessel status or proceeding with invoicing.
Work Executed
Reviewed the end-to-end marine pilotage information flow and identified lag points between field activity and system entry
Redesigned the workflow so pilots could record operational milestones right at the point and time of operation
Equipped marine pilots with ruggedized tablets on tugs and pilot vessels for direct digital pilotage recording
Built intuitive digital forms tailored for fast touch entry during berthing and unberthing maneuvers
Connected tablet data wirelessly to the central port management and billing infrastructure
Value Delivered
The intervention enabled near-instant availability of pilotage data in central systems with minimal recording errors. It eliminated hours of administrative paperwork transfer and established the principle of bringing the system to the operation rather than requiring operations to come back to the system.
Key Assignment Components
#Marine Operations#Mobility#Field Digitisation#Tablet Recording#Pilotage Tracking#Vessel Berthing#Real-Time Data Capture
Includes work undertaken by team members as part of assignments / employment.
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