altivis is an Internet-based marine fuel-buying network, with the objective of expanding on the success of the US Government SEA Card program, which was developed for the US Department of Defense. The venture will introduce a global order-to-cash e-procurement marine management system to the commercial bunker buying and supplying market, just as the US Government SEA Card program introduced this concept to contract marine fuel merchants that supply the US Government.

The SEA (Ships' bunkers Easy Acquisition) Card program facilitates a worldwide procurement of marine fuel for numerous government agencies.

Read more about how the SEA Card^SM is serving the government.

The SEA Card project has demonstrated the value of a global order-to-cash e-procurement marine management system. The Program is based upon a web system known as SCOMS (SEA Card Order Management System). SCOMS allows vessels to initiate fuel requests and allows merchants to respond to fuel requests online. In addition, SCOMS allows for electronic capture of specific fuel delivery information, including fuel type and quantity.

It has significantly improved the efficiency of the order-to-cash cycle and information management, as compared to traditional, paper-based systems. Multi Service extends the credit to the US Government for non-fuel and spot/open market purchases.

No, altivis will significantly expand on the functionality offered through the US Government SEA Card Program in order to better equip bunker buyers and ship operators managing the multi-faceted requirements associated with procuring and managing ships bunkers. altivis will be a master brand for a suite of offerings targeted at different users and markets.

Most existing marine fuels procurement processes are inefficient and antiquated. They rely on traditional communication methods which are often cumbersome and resource-intensive. altivis product offerings and decision-support tools will help improve efficiencies in the industry while preserving the existing relationship between the customer and supplier. Strategic partnerships will also be pursued where existing products can be effectively integrated into a suite of offerings.

altivis is much more. altivis does include some marine fuel card services with transaction processing and management at its core but will offer a broad range of value added services. In addition, altivis extends credit and offers cash flow management options to suppliers and customers.

More information will be released over the coming months. We are working with some customers and suppliers to develop some specific solutions for their needs, such as private label solutions. On the broader horizon, some ship owners, fuel suppliers and brokers have indicated that they are interested in a wide range of offers and services to make it easier to do business. Such areas include:

• Market transparency - line of sight between suppliers and customers through established networks and communities
• Credit management
• Improved RFQ process
• Broker support
• Order-to-cash transactional efficiency - improvement of the transaction processing to reduce the time of order to cash
• Internal process simplification
• Management information
• Optimization of bunker purchasing - decision support tools for evaluating port arbitrage and logistical optimization parameters
• Cash flow management for suppliers
• Peace of mind / Quality assurance - standardization of processes and documentation
• Compliance with internal processes and legal requirements
• Training and knowledge retention
• Information exchange, pricing, market developments
• Optimization of vessel operations and improved fuel efficiency

MSC is a global transaction management company specializing in billing and payment solutions, such as credit cards, with particular expertise in the transportation industry.

altivis is derived from the Latin “alti,” meaning the sea or deep water, and “vis,” meaning power or strength. Together, they form altivis, power for the sea.