Technology has made life easier for seafarers and the shipping industry at large. Through smartphones or tabs, necessary and useful mobile apps for seafarers can be downloaded. We are in a digital era, the world has significantly improved in the area of technology, and this time the shipping industry is not left behind.
Seafaring is not an easy job to make it a bit easier, downloading these helpful apps is the best option. There are different types of apps for seafarers, built uniquely for different maritime purposes.
Here is a list of some offline and online apps for seafarers;
1.CARGO HANDBOOK
Cargo Handbook, created by BMT, is designed to provide a wide range of databases on cargoes’ transportation in the shipping industry. This app provides useful and vital information on cargo shipping. This information ranges from how cargo should be handled, stored, etc. Basically, the app provides guidelines for ensuring the safety of cargoes during shipments.
This app provides every available information on handling over 800 commodities to ensure a safe cargo delivery.
2. MARITIME WORLD PORTS
Maritime world port is an app that contains information on over 4000 ports in 191 countries. This is indeed an essential mobile app for seafarers. It provides information about ports, locations, position, availability, and capacity of cranes at ports, and many more functions. This app gives its users a total rundown of a port before it gets visited.
3. ILO MLC POCKET CHECKLIST
This app provides a list of requirements and conditions for ILO MLC. Completed requirements can be checked off from the checklist by users.
International Labour Organization (ILO) and Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) are organizations with the sole aim of making the shipping industry standard and ensuring seafarers’ well-being.
4. ISM AND ISPS POCKET CHECKLIST
When mentioning mobile apps for seafarers, this particular app is a must-have app for seafarers. Ships get detained on a daily basis based on their inability to meet up with ISM requirements. ISM and ISP’s pocket checklist provides seafarers with a list containing the requirement for a safe voyage.
5.HAZCHECK DGL LITE
This app is designed to provide information on dangerous goods. It consists of free IMDG code data in the list of hazardous goods.
Hazcheck DGL Lite shouLd be a go-to app for every seafarer as they will likely come across dangerous goods every now and then.
6. SHORE LEAVE
ITF Seafarers launched a new version of their app. Shore leave is the first ever kind of mobile apps for seafarers. This app provides a list of Port-based centers for seafarers.
After a one-time download, all contacts are automatically stored or saved in the seafarer’s phone and can be used offline or online. The app also features a map for the accessible location of these port-based centers.
To attract seafarers to visit port-based centers, the new version of shore leave contains a raffle system using a QR code. Seafarers get electronic raffle tickets when they visit any of the centers listed on the app. After every four months, a winner is randomly selected.
7. ITF SEAFARERS APP
Lookup a ship and find an inspector are two different apps launched by ITF Seafarers. As the name implies, looking up a ship is used to find out every available information about a ship while finding an inspector to contact inspectors. You can also get access to the ITF Seafarers helpline through the app. These mobile apps for seafarers were launched in March 2013.
ITF seafarers app works on Android and iPhone for free.
8. FIRST AID APP
Every seafarer should have this app as it involves safety. In the shipping industry, safety is very necessary. The First Aid app is not solely made for seafarers. The Indian Red Cross created it. It features information on how to handle emergencies. This app works offline for easy access during emergencies.
9. DUOLINGO
The shipping industry involves traveling to different countries and places. Duolingo app is the app for every seafarer; it has a feature that teaches its users different languages, French, German, and Spanish inclusive. It features various stages of challenges that help its users learn fast.
Have you been trying to pick up one or more languages? Here’s your chance. Duolingo is available on Android and iPhone devices.
10. SHIP FINDER
Ship Finder is a mobile app for seafarers that tracks ships on a map. This is a user-friendly app that can be accessed easily.
Its functionality is really simple. All the information needed is just one tap away once the user taps a ship on the map, the picture, name, type, dimensions, and other useful information of the ship displays.
This app is available on iPhones & Android phones for free.
Most mobile apps for seafarers are free and available on Android and iPhone devices. They can also work offline, considering the limited access of mobile networks for seafarers on the sea. Of course, not all are free, but the cost for them is not significant.
There are so many other mobile apps for seafarers that were not listed in this article. The list goes on.
Next time you need to get useful information about the Marine world, make sure to use one of these apps for a less stressful experience…
The world of Maritime has significantly evolved, don’t be left behind.
