Market leading crew management software provider, Onboard Tracker™ united more than 80 global energy industry leaders as it hosted its sixth annual user forum – a full day event dedicated to shaping the future of digital crew management.
Held at ONE Tech Hub last Thursday (Oct 2nd), the event featured a keynote address from Sir Ian Wood, via video link, where he called upon energy companies to embrace digital transformation.
This was followed by a live client panel discussion to debate ‘The Global Workforce Challenge’. The forum was also the chance for Onboard Tracker™ to unveil the latest customer-led updates of its Software as a Service (SaaS) platform, in front of key decision makers from the energy, marine and renewables industries.
Clients included Boskalis, Subsea 7, Stena, Semco Maritime, Archer, SBM, Vento, and Massterly, who travelled from across the globe for the much-anticipated Onboard Tracker™ calendar fixture, which helps shape industry standards and functionalities as well as driving industry processes to help support the future of crew management.
Onboard Tracker™ managing director Kevin Coll and his team of technology and crewing specialists engaged with delegates at the event, designed to give users a voice in shaping the technology’s roadmap through breakout sessions, and client-led discussions.
Users explored the increasing complexity of crew management, including taxation, global mobility, skills transition, and new market entry, while highlighting the opportunities a truly global workforce presents.
Developed by Solab IT Services in 2012, Onboard Tracker™ now supports over 150,000 energy, renewables and marine personnel in 110+ countries, across 8,000+ on and offshore sites, to help keep people safe in their daily offshore operations.
In his keynote, Sir Ian Wood praised the energy supply chain’s agility and called on UK energy companies to double down on digital transformation, “Solab and Kevin Coll have been pioneers of this sector with Onboard Tracker™ a leading example,” said Sir Ian.
“The oil and gas sector is evolving and the 45,000 jobs supported by this sector in the region are changing. As the energy industry changes, so do the opportunities for our skilled workforce. Most of these jobs are in our world class supply chain.”
Sir Ian hailed digital tech companies, like Onboard Tracker™, as vital for the energy transition and as ‘the backbone of the energy industry.’
“They take their expertise from oil and gas and use it to drive forward the growing energy industries of wind, hydrogen and carbon capture, supporting jobs and generating economic value to this region and indeed the whole of Scotland and the UK.”
Urging the energy sector to work in partnership with digital tech companies, he added, “By embracing change, we can ensure that our workforce remains at the forefront of the energy industry.”
Sir Ian also reaffirmed the North-east of Scotland’s position as the UK’s fastest growing digital tech sector, pushing for investment in innovation and the development of the next generation of energy professionals.
Founded in 2012, Onboard Tracker™ was born out of a need to replace paper, spreadsheets, and whiteboards with a scalable, connected platform for managing crew across thousands of global sites.
“Our clients not only use Onboard Tracker™, but they help shape it and its future direction,” said Kevin. “Our annual OnboardXChange forum is about listening, learning and innovating together.
“The energy sector is changing fast, and our clients are on the front lines of that transformation. Ten years ago, the North Sea ran on spreadsheets. We’ve come a long way, but there’s still work to do,” he said. “We’re proud to be working with our clients to lead that change, and events like OnboardXChange are how we stay ahead as a united front.”
Onboard Tracker™ is calling on the wider energy industry to invest in digital transformation, not only to support efficiency and safety, but to retain critical workforce skills, attract new talent into STEM, and ensure the region remains a global centre of excellence.
Addressing forum attendees last week, Kevin said Onboard Tracker™ users had already made an investment in the future.
“We’ll keep investing in our clients to transform crew management, and most importantly, help bring our energy workers home safely to their families.”
For more information, visit www.onboardtracker.com
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