.png)
The maritime industry continues its shift towards digitisation, driven by a growing demand for digital solutions that streamline processes, boost efficiency and help companies remain competitive. Digitisation enhances ship-to-shore and inter-ship communication, creating new opportunities to improve compliance, security and logistics. However, rapidly evolving maritime regulations pose challenges for ship owners, managers. Witherby Connect is an online eReader platform designed to support the growing needs of the shipping industry by providing access to critical industry standards and publications, including a significant collection of International Maritime Organization (IMO) titles. Since launching in 2021, Witherby Connect has become essential to over 39,000 vessels globally, providing flexible, secure access to an extensive library of industry standards.
We explore the platform's features, the extensive range of industry standards it offers, its impact on the industry landscape, and the advantages it brings to the maritime sector.
Witherby Connect is a browser-based eReader platform designed to meet the specific needs of the maritime industry. The platform requires no installation, operates on both high and low connectivity, and can be used offline across multiple devices, making it adaptable within the diverse environments on board ships. Designed with cyber security in mind, Witherby Connect complies with the IMO's latest cyber security regulations, addressing the increasing industry focus on digital security.
The platform is built to meet carriage inspection requirements, providing a streamlined solution for vessels to demonstrate regulatory compliance. For example, the Digital Certificate serves as proof of access to mandatory publications, while additional titles can be shown directly through the Library Download section.
As the global maritime sector experiences an upward trend in digital publications, Witherby Connect continues to position itself at the forefront of this transition. Since 2021, digital copies of essential publications on Witherby Connect have been in higher demand than traditional hard copies, with an expected 71% rise in uptake by the end of 2024. This shift reflects the industry’s recognition of the advantages of digitised regulatory compliance solutions.
However, recent changes in the industry, such as the IMO announcement of a new eBook subscription platform, present potential challenges for third-party resellers and chart agents. Witherbys believes that chart agents are vital to the shipping industry and, as a result, has voiced concerns over the IMO’s new system which can be bought direct, essentially cancelling the need for chart agents. This could severely impact smaller chart agents, who rely on direct purchases from the IMO VP website to benefit from bulk discounts. Managing two platforms could complicate inventory control and financial planning, potentially threatening the viability of smaller resellers. This system has also had limited industry testing to make sure it is suitable for the industry needs and is not able to guarantee that content is secured from being easily shared and altered. These changes underscore the importance of digital platforms like Witherby Connect, which continues to prioritise the role of resellers and agents while offering a comprehensive and secure eBook solution.
Witherby Publishing Group, which has over 25 years of experience in digital rights management, continues to emphasise the importance of protecting eBook security and intellectual property. As Witherby Connect embraces these modern technologies, it provides robust security and digital rights management features that meet the needs of a rapidly evolving maritime industry.
Witherby Connect continues to provide access to all major maritime industry publications. Key industry standards include the International Chamber of Shipping’s (ICS) ‘Bridge Procedures Guide’, Oil Companies International Marine Forum’s (OCIMF) ‘International Safety Guide for Oil Tankers’ (ISGOTT), Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators’ (SIGTTO) ‘Liquefied Gas Handling Principles’ , International Association of Independent Tanker Owners’ (INTERTANKO) ‘Guide to the Vetting Process’, among many other industry body publications.
Witherby Connect’s expanding range of IMO publications includes access to a number of IMO documents and titles in all languages other than English. Most recently, the IMO published the 50th anniversary edition of SOLAS, one of its most important maritime conventions, as well as amendment 42-24, which includes revisions to the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, and to the IMDG Code Supplement. The Witherby Connect editions of both SOLAS and the IMDG Code are fully annotatable, searchable and available offline.
Witherby Connect continues to facilitate the industry’s digital transition by providing secure and flexible access to essential maritime publications. As the landscape continues to evolve, Witherby Connect remains a resilient, versatile and compliant resource, supporting the sector in meeting regulatory standards. With a strong commitment to security, innovation and industry standards, Witherby Connect not only provides a robust regulatory solution but also reinforces the role of digital resources in building a safer, more efficient maritime industry.
Find out more about Witherby Connect at: https://www.witherbys.com/connect