S'pore-based portal ties up with NPC

JAKARTA (JP): Singapore-based application service provider (ASP) Freight Real-Time.com signed an alliance agreement here on Friday with PT Nusa Pamerima Corporation (NPC) to promote the portal's services to the Indonesian maritime and logistics company.

NPC chief executive officer Edward Khoo said the two companies would establish a joint venture company with an investment of US$500,000 to promote subscription-based portal services such as e-cargo management and logistics online applications.

"NPC will control 51 percent of the company and Freight holding 49 percent," he said.

Freight provides a series of applications on its portal www.freight-realtime.com to help shipping companies set up their e-business, Khoo said.

"There's no need for companies to buy thousands of dollars worth of hardware and software to get on the Internet," he said at a media conference, adding that all a company needed was a web browser and $100 a month to use the services.

Freddy Kuan, the founder of Freight Real-Time.com, said the applications were specifically designed for shipping companies, trading companies, freight forwarders, logistics providers and transportation and warehousing operators.

The portal is equipped with multilayer passwords, assigned codes, firewalls and encryption to ensure data security, he said.

Applications and services hosted by Freight Real-Time.com include cargo management, inventory management, cargo exchange, vessel schedules and cargo insurance, Khoo said.

"We expect to have at least 500 companies subscribed within the first 12 months," he said. (10)