To Our Current and Future Trading Partners

MarineNet LLC is pleased to report to our board, our membership, our current trading partners, and our future trading partners, that we have reached significant milestones in 2011. Though operating for many years prior, the creation of MarineNet LLC as a completely independent organization has come to pass and we have operated successfully for one year. We have grown our membership and have exceeded 1.1 million electronic documents securely passed from one company to another.

Other industries – rail, trucking, retail, chemical, and more – have long ago realized the potential for and proven the value of dramatic savings and efficiencies through the sharing of electronic transactions with improved speed and accuracy. Our world would be much different if it were not for leadership, hard work, and investment by these companies toward a common goal.

So too has MarineNet pioneered many innovations into a robust solution for our marine industry. Our world will similarly change with vision and common goals. We recognize that we cannot rest on this past year. Our work continues to expand the features and functions of our network of systems so that it continues to build upon these early successes.

All members have a vested interest in the planning, development, and creation of improvements to the network of systems known as BargeEx™. It is unrealistic to meet every need of every trading partner, yet we do have to find a way to collect ideas, prioritize them, and fund their development and implementation. This is where you can help us.

In 2012 we intend to create a list of improvements for BargeEx™ based on your vision and your specific needs. These improvements will be reviewed by a committee of peers from the membership and then combined into a specification for the actual development. This committee will be called Enhancements Review Committee (ERC) for BargeEx™.

We are looking for volunteers to serve on the ERC. This committee, consisting of members of your business communities, will be charged to work through the list of enhancements and present them to the MarineNet board. MarineNet will then develop a plan to fund all operations, maintenance, and the new development activities through its membership subscriptions. For those who have yet to join MarineNet and participate in the benefits of electronically sharing transaction information with your customers and vendors, please contact us. We would welcome your input into the evolution of BargeEx™.

Our leading edge trading partners have rich experiences to share with you as they have on-boarded with MarineNet and incorporated the BargeEx™ efficiencies into their internal systems. Many others are in the process of coming on board.

Join us as we all move forward to create the standards, develop the features and functions of BargeEx™, and bring them to life in an open and transparent fashion. We are confident this will enhance MarineNet products and services and catapult our industry into the 21st century.

Sincerely, 

Jim Taylor