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The client

Virgin Islands Shipping Registry

Based in the British Virgin Islands, the Virgin Islands Shipping Registry (VISR) operates as part of a global network of maritime administrations under the Red Ensign Group. With increasing expectations from the UK Government and the wider international maritime community, VISR recognised that its legacy systems were no longer suitable to support its ambitions - particularly following its elevation to a Category 1 Red Ensign register, enabling it to register larger commercial vessels.

A panoramic photo of the British Virgin Islands from a vessel
A photo of a map with the US and British Virgin Islands displayed

The challenge 

Following its designation as a Red Ensign Category 1 member - enabling the registration of larger commercial vessels - the VISR identified the need for a more modern and capable platform. Their current legacy systems were no longer fit for purpose and did not meet the expectations of the UK Government or international standards. To support continued growth and uphold service excellence, the VISR sought a digital solution that would centralise key functions such as CSR control, certification management, document issuance, and on-demand access to management data.

The solution 

After evaluating available solutions and consulting with fellow Red Ensign Group members, the VISR selected Oceans HQ and their solution Oceans Cloud. This decision was reinforced by long-standing professional relationships, a strong initial impression of the platform's effectiveness, and their proven track record and deep domain expertise. 

Oceans HQ deployed Oceans Cloud - a comprehensive registry and certification management platform, tailored to the specific needs of VISR. The transition included seamless data migration from the legacy system, ensuring minimal disruption while providing immediate access to advanced functionality, secure cloud infrastructure, and real-time analytics.

Sector

Services

A panoramic photo of a bay in the British Virgin Islands

The results 

Despite the initial learning curve, the adoption of Oceans Cloud went smoothly and significantly improved operational efficiency. The cloud-based system has enabled VISR to meet international obligations while offering improved service delivery to vessel owners and seafarers.

Access to live data from anywhere in the world has strengthened the registry’s resilience, particularly in the wake of the catastrophic hurricanes of 2017. Thanks to Oceans HQ’s support, historical records were preserved, transformed, and made operational within the new platform - positioning VISR for greater agility in future crises. VISR now benefits from a future-proof digital solution that aligns with its growth ambitions and commitment to service excellence.

Client testimonial

OHQ Cloud enables us to meet our international obligations and has been well received by vessel registration customers and seafarers. The team at Oceans HQ kindly migrated our data from our old system into the cloud and went above and beyond to support us with going live. Transitioning from a locally installed version of FMS to OHQ Cloud has also enabled us to access information in real-time from anywhere in the world. The Virgin Islands suffered two devastating hurricanes in 2017 and we were fortunate to have saved our historical records from our old systems. It took some time to get fully operational again but Oceans HQ provided invaluable assistance and support to analyse the data and transform it into OHQ Cloud. I now have total confidence in Oceans HQ, and if another such event happened in the future, we will be fully operational again with data and records fully accessible as soon as local power is back.

Raman Bala Former CEO, Virgin Islands Shipping Registry