What were the difficulties you faced during the pandemic with PISR and how did you manage to keep the communications alive?
The global pandemic threw up a number of issues that undoubtedly caught many in the maritime world unprepared and struggling to react in a positive way. From the outset we were prepared to deal with the pandemic because we had been developing our digital services over the past few years. Once the lockdowns began it was clear that operations across the globe would be affected and the pandemic had demonstrated the importance of digitalization and new technologies within the shipping industry. This allowed us to offer an unbroken line of services and communication with ship owners throughout the pandemic in the same way to before the COVID-19 outbreak.
We have always understood ship owners because we have taken the time to talk, reassure and offer them solutions. This is where PISR excels because we provide the latest digital services to every ship owner registered under our flag. For many registries COVID-19 has been a catalyst for change in their operations, however our catalyst for change was the drive to excellence and leadership, which began in 2017. We were already on the path to upgrading and further develop- ing our unique digital services and in 2020 they proved their worth to our fleet.
Our operations are based on a winning combination of digital online services and the human element. This is something we believe strongly in: the ability to communicate and offer simple and fast access to our online services, whilst also being able to talk to a real person. This is enhanced through our online chat options and our easily accessible phone centre
Our ePISR® is the backbone of the registry and enables processing of the jobs for each vessel’s registration and seafarer licensing, an online application system, with our fees calculator and our secure safe payments service providing transparency as well as saving time and money.
At PISR, our services were not affected: we were – and still are – able to service our clients anywhere across the globe, as well as providing safe working for all of our staff as a leader in digital ship registry services.
* Business Development Director, Palau International Ship Registry
The answer was provided for NAFS magazine issue 143 in its special report “WOMEN in SHEPPING”