Ferry companies invest substantial capital in their assets, so the key to profitability is making the most of existing capacity.
For ferry operators, profitability and long-term sustainability often depend on achieving the highest possible yield from the vessels and deck space they already have.
How do you optimise full trips and make the most of your deck space?
Operators need to manage occupancy by improving the accuracy of vehicle data in the reservation system.
Instead of assuming the greatest possible length for each vehicle, the system should calculate the actual length. This allows each sailing to gain additional capacity simply by avoiding unused deck space.
Ferry companies often spend considerable time and money pursuing optimal occupancy levels, only to add more complexity to the business without fully achieving the goal.
Why does this happen?
Operators are often locked into a configuration that comes with their system and must work around what they are given.
This usually means relying on manual, human-led review of data to determine whether occupancy is really full, rather than being able to configure loads to suit their vessels and business model within the application.
Vehicle Dimension Control
There is no such thing as a standard vehicle, truck, or trailer.
The difference between a small vehicle and a large vehicle continues to expand, and every sailing has a unique load requirement based on the mix of vehicles, trailers, trucks, and motorcycles on board.
Sometimes these requirements mean a limited number of vehicles can fit due to height, width, or other special requirements.
The time spent manually calculating these requirements at booking, check-in, and load planning is costing operators more than they realise.
Your reservation system should maximise occupancy by accurately forecasting and accommodating these diverse vehicle mixes.
Imagine a system that eliminates guesswork entirely, ensuring optimal occupancy without human intervention at the time of booking. This should be the standard your system delivers.
Picture your crew receiving the load plan well in advance of arrival, allowing them to load according to a system-provided plan.
This approach minimises the need for crew training while reducing load time and the stress placed on crew members during the loading process.
At check-in, people will sometimes arrive with a different vehicle or an unexpected trailer in tow, creating last-minute changes.
Your system should act as the foundation for load organisation, minimising the impact of human variables and making each load as predictable and seamless as possible for your crew.
Accurate vehicle data unlocks better capacity.
By accurately managing vehicle data and dynamically configuring loads, FerryHawk helps operators maximise capacity and make better use of every sailing.