Dredging International

Dredging International achieves 98% data compression over satellite with iOra Geo-Replicator, saving the company substantial costs. Dredging International is now looking to deploy the software for the replication of other documents such as time sheets.

Background

Dredging International (DI) is a global leader in dredging and land reclamation. DI’s high-tech fleet of trailing suction hopper dredgers and cutter suction dredgers take leading roles in port construction in countries including India, France, Singapore, Australia and Uruguay.

The Challenge

DI was required to comply with International Safety Management (ISM) regulations including requirements for its fleet, operating all over the world, to hold up-to-date Health and Safety documentation. The company deployed Microsoft SharePoint as a central repository for this and other information. In order to ensure each individual vessel had the very latest information, the Microsoft SharePoint portal would have to be replicated over expensive satellite connections. To do this would normally entail very high data costs.

The Geo-Replicator ® Solution

To keep the information on board up to date, optimize data transfer between its onshore offices and ships at sea, whilst also minimizing the data sent over satellite, DI deployed iOra Geo-Replicator software. iOra software replicates any changes made to Health and Safety documentation on one server to the same document on every other server across the fleet, and on-shore bases, every 12 hours. These changes are compressed to just 1/50th of original size before transmission.

The Result

Because iOra dramatically reduces satellite data costs, it is an effective solution for organizations that share data amongst remote or mobile locations worldwide. Dredging International’s fleet now has up-to-date Health and Safety information anywhere in the world despite expensive low bandwidth satellite connections.

What the Client Says:

“The main purpose was the roll out of SharePoint to the vessels in an efficient manner. We therefore first took the decision to deploy iOra Geo-Replicator for replication of our Health and Safety documents. And while satellite communication costs were not the key concern at the time of choosing iOra, those savings just became apparent at the time of testing. We are now looking at other possibilities for the technology in the future, like timesheets for example.”

Peter Warnier, ICT Manager, Dredging International

Geo-Replicator ® Benefits

Faster access to SharePoint in remote areas of the world enables access to more up-to-date SharePoint content 24/7. This can result in a dramatic reduction in the cost of data transmission, easier access to decision making information and because knowledge is kept accessible and searchable for all users, can improve organizational agility responsiveness and compliance to ISM regulations.