Great Lakes Pilotages Go Live with Saab
The Canadian Great Lakes Pilotage Authority (GLPA) and the Great Lakes Pilotage Division of the U.S. Coast Guard have opened the 2017 shipping season using an upgraded Great Lakes Pilot Management System based on the latest version of Saab’s KleinPilot.
The new system went live on schedule with the season opening. It is being used by the two organizations and the U.S. Great Lakes pilotage associations to manage the rostering and dispatch of the more than 100 marine pilots on the Great Lakes and automatically generate billing in accordance with the applicable tariffs.
The system is fully web based and includes a web portal for agents to submit pilotage requests and monitor assignment status. All of the pilots are able to use the KleinMobile iOS app on their iPhone or iPad to receive assignments, record job information and submit time cards. Saab is hosting the shared system on behalf of the two organizations.
“The Great Lakes Pilotge Authority (GLPA) had identified the importance to modernize its billing and dispatching system as to better meet its operational needs and its customer needs while optimizing its resources,” said Stéphane Bissonnette CFO at GLPA.
The GLPA is a Canadian federal crown corporation responsible for providing a safe and efficient pilotage service within the Great Lakes region for commercial vessels. The U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes Pilotage Program is a specialized program that manages the processes and procedures for the U.S. registered pilots on the Great Lakes.
Pilotage within the international waters of the Great Lakes is managed by the two organizations under a memorandum of arrangements between Canada and the U.S.
