The name Marasoft is gone but the ambitions are bigger than ever. The Van Urk familiy's software company has decided to go for a clear positioning, under the flag of Marad, that is globally recognisable for clients and partners in the maritime sector. Something that began as a technical name issue grew into a strategic move that is perfectly in line with the rapid digital developments in the sector, including the collaboration with OMDS and joining the 2BA central product database.
“Actually, everyone was already talking about Marad”, says Pieter van Urk, the company's founder. “We supplied software under the name Marad, but the company was still called Marasoft. And that caused confusion, particularly abroad.” The decision was final when the domain name marad.com became available. From now on, the Marad brand stands for both the company and the software.
And that change is more than just cosmetic. With clients in more than 80 countries, there is a growing need for recognisability, reliability and above all, integration.
For years now, Marad has been leading in maritime and fleet management software. But the market's demands are changing rapidly. Data is becoming more and more important, and sharing information has to be smart, secure and standardised. Pieter: “We're seeing an increasing number of requests from partners and clients wanting to connect with us. CO₂ data, fuel consumptions, certification, technical measurements - it all has to come together.
That takes a different way of thinking, and building.” So Marad is investing not only in front-end functionality, but also in the back-end infrastructure, with new DevOps engineers, a switch to Microsoft Azure, and sturdy API connections. And most importantly: in collaboration with platforms such as 2BA and OMDS.
In the maritime sector in particular, where international collaboration is the norm, One Maritime Data Standard (OMDS) is a solution, according to Pieter. With OMDS, sharing product data, specifications and trade information is streamlined through a single central standard. That standard is driven by the 2BA technical infrastructure, a proven platform used by hundreds of suppliers and clients.
It means a huge step forward for Marad. Pieter explains:
“We used to get requests from every wholesaler with their own product databases, their own file formats and their own API logic. Untenable. Since we connected to 2BA, we can say: 'Join 2BA and you'll be automatically available in Marad'. It doesn't cost us any extra development hours. A single standard, so we only have to integrate once.”
Datema is a nice example of how it works in practice. This renowned supplier of nautical products and services recently started using 2BA to share product information with clients. And the decision yielded results immediately: since the connection, Datema product data has been requested by maritime companies more than 2,000 times.
Because Datema supplies through 2BA, their range is now visible straight away in the Marad software, and ready to use without the need for separate connections or customising.
“Datema is connected to 2BA, so their data is quite simply in Marad. It works,” says Pieter, “for everyone.”
The collaboration between Marad, OMDS and 2BA is a textbook example of how open standards and smart software can reinforce each other. Pieter is very clear:
“This connection saves us time, money and headaches. But we're not the only ones who benefit. Suppliers who supply through 2BA are directly visible to hundreds of Marad users. That's access to the market without extra marketing costs. And users can work faster, smarter and more securely.”
There are also challenges attached to Marad's rapid growth. “Absolutely everybody wants a quick hook-up”, says Pieter, “and we have to make important choices. So we only want to join with parties that think in the collective interest. Not just 'what's in it for me?” but: what can we build together?”
The collaboration between Marad, OMDS and 2BA demonstrates how technology and vision can reinforce each other, as long as everyone is prepared to work according to the same language and standards.
Thanks to OMDS and 2BA, there is a solid, sector-wide infrastructure available that actually works. For suppliers such as Datema. For software builders such as Marad. And above all: for the hundreds of maritime companies working towards an efficient, safe and future-oriented sector, every day.
