Your reference tool Marine Stores Guide  

The latest data set has launched, a new API has entered development and more of the latest from the Marine Stores Guide

For the Marine Stores Guide, 2023 has started with a bang! Today we’re pleased to share with you all of the latest headlines from IMPA’s marine purchasing reference tool. 

Latest Data Update

The latest update features 189 new codes, 972 revised codes and 51 deleted codes, a substantial amendment to the data that is now available to all current and new MSG customers. The MSG team strives to include additions and adjustments that reflect industry input with each revision. This update is no exception and offers the perfect final set of codes before the new 8th edition of the MSG data launches later this year.

The 8th Edition is coming

Readers and IMPA Members may already be aware, but for those who aren’t, the new MSG 8th Edition launches later this year and with that comes a new version of the MSG book.  

With each new version of the printed MSG, we are pleased to offer opportunities to industry experts to advertise your services, and there is still time to be a part of it

A new version of the MSG only happens every five years. It offers a fantastic opportunity to overhaul our printed book with several substantial changes to editorial content, which brings it up to date with the digital version of the data, which is updated more frequently. 

With each new version of the printed MSG, we are pleased to offer opportunities to industry experts to advertise your services, and there
is still (at the time of publishing this article) time to be a part of it; if you
are interested, contact our team at the details below. 

We are reaching out to our industry for your input on the MSG to help us with your feedback to help form the 8th edition of the MSG with a simple questionnaire. Covering translations, digital product usage, editorial input, sustainable product suggestions and more, we hope you will take the time to participate and inform our team of your suggestions; find out more about how to take part at the end of this article. 

A new API is in development

Industry feedback has indicated the need for the digital delivery of the Marine Stores Guide to be enhanced, and due to that, the development cycle for a brand-new API is well underway. This new API will allow third-party users, such as shipping procurement platform providers, to give MSG customers instant access to live data.  

The fundamental goal of this development is to have a complete set of application layers to allow users to use the API exactly how they need to, with each user being able to manage access and permissions individually amongst a wealth of other inclusions. 

Once released, all users will be able to securely and quickly access live and up-to-date MSG Data in the ways they want. The API also protects against misuse of the MSG data; access can be revoked and assessed by our team to ensure only customers of the MSG are using it. 

Finally, the new API will allow, for the first time, a feature many industry professionals have expressed interest in, QR Codes! Every item in the MSG catalogue will have a unique QR code created to hold the essential elements needed for identifying and describing that item. These codes will be available to MSG customers using the API however they wish. 

More details on the API will be available very soon. 

New Development Launches Soon

Building on the success and feedback from the Marine Stores Guide Online Service (MSGO), a web-based version of the entire MSG catalogue that allows users to browse, search and export session baskets, the new service builds on all of those existing features with a large number of new ones that we are sure will aid professionals’ daily activities with procurement and supply.

The new features include the following:  

•Custom catalogues unique to companies using the service 

•Administration panels to manage staff/users, vessels etc 

•General improvements to day-to-day usage features 

•Offline installation options for onboard vessels 

• And much more! 

We are now in the final stages of developing the online component of this service, which will roll out publicly in the coming weeks, with an offline installable option coming afterwards! 

More news on the launch of this service will come very soon! 

What’s Next?

The Marine Stores Guide has so much more to come this year, with some of our most substantial product launches yet.  

As mentioned earlier in this article, the MSG team are looking to our industry for feedback on what they would like to see in the 8th edition, including questions about language translations, usage and editorial content. If you wish to aid our team by completing the questionnaire, you can do so at: bit.ly/MSG-8th.

Suppose you have any questions about the topics listed above; in that case, you can contact our team at [email protected] or keep up to date with the latest headlines in the Supply Chain & Sustainability magazine and through IMPA’s social media channels and websites.