ShipsKart: Amazon for the Shipping Industry

Introduction to ShipsKart

In a world with relentless waves of global trade, seafarers play a pivotal role, keeping global trade afloat amidst the relentless waves of challenges. Yet, despite their unwavering dedication, they often struggle with problems that arise from unstructured and inefficient procurement processes. 

Enter ShipsKart, a beacon of change in the maritime industry, cutting through the waves of complexity and bringing quality supplies to seafarers in a single app. With a cutting-edge platform and features including real-time order-tracking features and dedicated customer support, ShipsKart empowers customers by providing end-to-end supply chain transparency and data-driven insights for greater control. ShipsKart helps customers optimise operations with 20% reduced costs, 30% reduced man hours, and 40% increased efficiency.

ShipsKart’s Mobile App. The industry’s first mobile app for maritime procurement.

ShipsKart started with a simple mission, to bridge the gap between seafarers, suppliers, and shipowners; an “Amazon for the shipping industry” is what the founding team would call it. This meant simplified procurement, consolidated billing, quality products and reduced costs for corporate clients, and access to supplies even in remote locations. No more time wasted on archaic processes, contacting different vendors or tracking orders across multiple channels. 

Their innovative platform streamlines procurement by centralising vendors and handling payment and logistics. Ship owners, managers, and seafarers can now effortlessly browse, order, and track their supplies with just a few clicks whilst at sea, eliminating the hassle of manual processes and exorbitant markups, and be ready to receive their items once they arrive at ports.

The Founding Story

As seasoned mariners and longtime batchmates, Captain Dhruv Sawhney and Vivek Sahi found themselves engrossed in an unexpected discussion during a casual lunch. What began as a simple conversation evolved into an intense exploration of ways to revolutionise the maritime sector.

The concept lingered with Dhruv, becoming a captivating topic whenever he engaged with peers. Serendipitously, during a dinner with a close childhood friend and her husband, Sunny Bagla, Dhruv broached the idea once again. This time, the conversation took a pleasant turn as Sunny, shared a mutual passion and embraced the vision with equal fervour.

United by Dhruv and Vivek's extensive maritime expertise and Sunny's background in legal and financial matters, the trio embarked on their new mission.

ShipsKart’s Co-founders. From left to right, Sunny Bagla (Chief Financial Officer),
Dhruv Sawhney (Chief Executive Officer), and Vivek Sahi (Chief Operating Officer).

Growth

Since 2017, ShipsKart has been gaining rapid traction and market share. Their hands-on approach, coupled with their dedication to serving real industry needs, quickly earned them recognition from PortXL as one of the most innovative startups in 2018.

The team’s growth journey was not an easy one but they knew from the start that they wanted to set off their journey on the right foot. They started by seeking out strategic partners to propel them forward, and were thrilled when they landed a pivotal partnership with Adani, one of India's largest port operators. The partnership expanded ShipsKart's operational capabilities to over 100 tugs across India, enabling them to scale their reach and bring essential supplies to numerous ports, even those in remote areas.

In just a few years, the impact of ShipsKart has extended far beyond cost savings and operational efficiency. Notably, when global supply chains were severely disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic, ShipsKart's platform proved to be a lifeline, ensuring that seafarers had access to essential supplies even in remote locations.

Evolving with Real Industry Needs

As ShipsKart continues to evolve, the founders remain steadfast in their commitment to making a positive impact on the maritime industry. While the team constantly develops new features and solutions to enhance the platform's capabilities, they remain dedicated to validating features with the community, actively seeking feedback through surveys and monitoring industry trends. 

Their commitment to adapting to the industry’s needs has proven successful and received validation by the widespread adoption of ShipsKart among top maritime companies including Fleet Management Co. Ltd., Nautilus Shipping, and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) amongst others. To date, they have also built a vast global vendor network of 500+ partners across 40 countries, strengthening their ability to provide seafarers with seamless access to a comprehensive range of supplies.

When asked about their most rewarding customer story, the team spoke fondly of their collaboration with Jindal Steel and Waterways Ltd., a valued client that transitioned from using Excel spreadsheets to ShipsKart's fully digital procurement solution. The shift resulted in significant efficiency gains, allowing their captains and purchase executives to streamline the requisition process and obtain vendor quotes seamlessly.

Partnering with Motion Ventures

In growing the business, ShipsKart has ensured to maintain strong relationships with a variety of stakeholders. One crucial partnership includes that with Venture Capital funds, such as Motion Ventures, boosting their transformative journey in the maritime industry. 

Dhruv encapsulates our partnership succinctly:

“Our choice to partner with Motion Ventures was driven by their deep understanding of the maritime domain and their strategic position within the industry. Their expertise and network have significantly bolstered our journey, aligning perfectly with our mission to revolutionise maritime procurement through technology.”

The maritime procurement industry has been long dominated by cumbersome legacy processes, which then creates ample opportunity for technology to pave a way forward. As an investor, Motion Ventures is excited to support ShipsKart’s mission to bring simplicity and cost savings to such a complex, global industry. 

Looking Ahead

In the near future, ShipsKart will be unveiling an e-marketplace platform that redefines procurement with transparent, open and competitive pricing to the maritime industry. The team’s relentless pursuit of innovation continues as they harness technology and AI to build even more advanced features. 

On a broader level, the team ultimately aims to create a hub for maritime innovation, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange within the industry. ShipsKart welcomes collaborations, partnerships, and feedback from those who share their passion for revolutionising maritime procurement.

To learn more about ShipsKart or explore their offerings, visit www.shipskart.com. 

From the team at ShipsKart:

"We'd like to express our gratitude to our readers and partners for their support and interest in our journey. As we move forward, we remain dedicated to our mission of revolutionising maritime procurement through innovative technology solutions. We're excited about the future and the positive impact we can create together. Your engagement and support are invaluable as we continue to evolve and make waves in the maritime industry. Thank you for being part of our story."