A new mobile app is seeking to close the gap between theory and practice at sea by turning routine ship inspections into real-time training sessions. Guide2Inspections, developed by Singapore-based Navguide Solutions, combines self-audits, guidance videos, and mentoring in one offline tool, according to a report by Splash247.
The Problem with Traditional Onboarding
Captain Debashis Basu, founder of Navguide Solutions, argues that shipping has spent years sending seafarers more checklists, circulars and manuals, while failing to answer a simpler question: what do crews actually need at the point of work? He notes that traditional onboard mentoring has weakened as crew sizes have fallen and workloads have risen. Seafarers are still expected to absorb most operational knowledge through text — SMS procedures, PMS systems, safety circulars, vetting bulletins, manuals and emails. Basu was quoted as saying, "You're trying to teach somebody how to do their job, and that is a very application-driven profession. I cannot teach somebody how to tie a knot with text, no matter how much I write."
How Guide2Inspections Works
The app divides a vessel into working areas and allows crew to perform self-audits using role- and ship-type-specific checklists. If a seafarer is unsure what a requirement means, one click opens a short video, photograph or guidance note showing what compliance should look like. The result is an inspection report with photographic evidence that can be sent back to shore, giving owners a live view of outstanding observations before an external auditor comes onboard. Basu describes it as a "pocket mentor" for seafarers.
Navguide has built hundreds of three- to four-minute video guides and thousands of images showing what "good condition" and "good order" actually mean onboard. The app works fully offline, a critical point for ships with limited connectivity. Language options include Hindi, Tagalog, Bahasa, Mandarin, Russian and Greek. The company is also adding an AI layer that will allow seafarers to ask questions in natural language and receive practical guidance during the working day.
Measurable Improvement for Shipowners
For shipowners, the appeal is measurable improvement in RightShip, SIRE 2.0 and port state control outcomes, with fewer detentions, claims and repeat observations. For seafarers, Basu says the tool can support competence, confidence and even promotion. The platform is already being used or reviewed by companies including MOL, KOTC, Enterprise, Meadway Bulkers, Unix Lines and Apeejay Shipping, according to Navguide Solutions.
The concept has also been presented at IMO discussions and highlighted by organisations including Intertanko, Intercargo, BIMCO, the Nautical Institute, NorthStandard, and the ITF.
Implications for the Logistics and Freight Industry
For freight forwarders, logistics managers, and port authorities, this tool addresses a persistent challenge: ensuring that crews are fully prepared for inspections, thereby reducing delays and detentions that can disrupt supply chains. By providing a "pocket mentor" that works offline, the app supports continuous improvement in safety and compliance, which directly impacts the reliability of ocean carriers. Fewer detentions mean fewer unexpected delays in cargo movement, and better port state control outcomes reduce the risk of costly ship holds.
Basu insists the objective is not to replace onboard judgement, but to restore mentoring where it is most needed. "We are getting the classroom into the field," he said. "By the time people reach the vessel, 99% of what they learned in a workshop is forgotten. Then we fall back on what we have always done. That is where observations, deficiencies and accidents come in."
The real value, Basu notes, is not just passing inspections, but finding problems before an inspector — or an accident — does.
Watch List
- Adoption rates among major carriers and potential impact on SIRE 2.0 and RightShip scoring.
- Integration of the upcoming AI layer and how it enhances real-time guidance.
- Expansion of language options and potential adoption by crews with diverse linguistic backgrounds.
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