Press Release – Helm Operations – Victoria, BC – Leading marine software company, Helm Operations, announced today that it now has more than 3000 vessels subscribing to Helm CONNECT, its industry-leading maintenance, compliance, personnel, and vessel operations software. This achievement highlights the incredibly rapid growth of demand for the software platform, which was officially released just 24 months ago. Based in Victoria, BC, Helm Operations launched Helm CONNECT at the end July 2016 to provide ship operators with modern, user-friendly software for vessel maintenance and compliance. Building on that platform, the company has since launched two additional, highly successful product lines: Helm CONNECT Jobs, for vessel and harbor planning, dispatching, and invoicing; and Helm CONNECT Personnel for crew scheduling, crew-change management, and payroll. According to Helm Operations CEO Ron deBruyne, it has been the company’s ability to develop powerful tools that address all aspects of vessel operations yet are easy-to-use that has sparked its rapid growth. “With Helm CONNECT, we focused on combining powerful features necessary to run complex vessel operations, with an easy-to-use interface that is quick to learn and train. The fact that we have nearly 150 companies and more than 3000 vessels using Helm CONNECT just two years after our launch is a clear testament to the success of our approach.”
That success has made Helm CONNECT the most widely-used marine software in the North American market, where seven out of the top 10 companies by fleet size now use Helm software. Growth, deBruyne says, is now being replicated around the world. “In addition to regulations and the business climate pushing companies towards greater efficiencies, we’ve seen a tremendous trend in the industry worldwide towards newer software systems. Companies today want software that’s simpler, more flexible, and ultimately better and more powerful than anything that was available even a few years ago.”
To respond to that demand and help serve a global audience, Helm established operations in Europe and South America earlier this year. These operations, says deBruyne, are a key part of Helm’s rapid growth. “While we’ve always had global customers, the growth of our team in these regions has increased our number of customers in Europe, South America, Asia, and Australia, while allowing us to offer services like 24-hour support.” Beyond geographic expansion, however, the strongest force driving Helm’s success is the company’s commitment to partnerships. This approach was highlighted by its August 2018 announcement of a new partnership with AIS provider, ShipTracks, to provide advanced AIS tracking functionality from within Helm CONNECT. It is an approach that, according to deBruyne, will be essential for all software providers. “Technology is moving incredibly quickly. From telematics to artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), we must provide our customers with the best technology and tools if we’re to continue to grow. No company can do this alone, and our approach has always been to partner with the best companies. With ShipTracks, we brought advanced AIS-based vessel tracking capabilities to our customers. Over the next few months, we’ll be making similar announcements about partnerships with other leading companies that will make Helm CONNECT even better.”
Dive into a sea of information with our meticulously curated weekly “Dispatch” email. It’s more than just a newsletter; it’s your personal maritime briefing.
Dive into a sea of information with our meticulously curated weekly “Dispatch” email. It’s more than just a newsletter; it’s your personal maritime briefing.
Alfa Laval has collaborated with a Korean shipbuilding company by signing the first Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for OceanGlide installations. This agreement shows the growing market interest in OceanGlide as a viable solution...
The 5G “mesh” technology aims to enable high-speed connectivity in challenging conditions, with trials planned to demonstrate range far beyond what was previously possible. Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, has...
Seaspan Shipyards, Canada’s long-term shipbuilding partner for the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and Royal Canadian Navy, has awarded ABB a contract to deliver an integrated propulsion system for the first...
March 5, 2024
Total Views: 1300
Why Join gCaptain Club?
Be Informed: Stay updated with the latest maritime news and trends.
Connect: Network with a community of maritime professionals and enthusiasts.
Gain Insights: Receive exclusive content and personal perspectives from our CEO.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.