Q88 is the industry standard for tanker information management and allows owners, operators, charterers, and brokers to store, manage, and share vessel data through a centralized system. The name traces back to the Q88 questionnaire itself, a long-standing standard vessel questionnaire exchanged in tanker chartering and vetting, which the platform digitizes and automates.

With more than 1,000 automated questionnaire templates and accurate particulars for more than 8,700 vessels, owners and operators can maintain their vessel data once and have it auto-populate across related questionnaires. The system is designed to save time on manual entry, reduce knowledge silos, and speed up responses to chartering and vessel requests.

Veson Nautical, a maritime commerce software provider that acquired Q88 in 2021, has refreshed and modernized the Q88 experience as part of its ongoing effort to help clients get the most value from its solutions. The same tools used for questionnaires, certificates, officer matrix, and inspections now feature a cleaner, more intuitive interface intended to make everyday work faster and easier to navigate.

1. A clearer, always-available menu

The menu now appears in an organized side panel that remains visible from any page within Q88.

The new side panel uses a simple tree-style structure. Users click a menu header to reveal its options, then click any option to open that page.

For those who want more screen space, the panel can be collapsed or expanded by selecting the sidebar icon.

2. A refreshed home dashboard

The dashboard introduced a few years ago has been refined to provide a clearer at-a-glance view of key information immediately after sign-in.

Inspections and certificates now appear in a stacked over-under layout, making them easier to scan.

Users can jump directly into any area by clicking its header on the dashboard, including Questionnaires, Officer Matrix, Inspections, and more.

A vessel can be selected from the dropdown list at the top to focus on a specific ship, and any certificate or inspection can be opened in full by double-clicking it to access the relevant page.

3. A new Questionnaire page

The Questionnaire page has a fresh, clean appearance while keeping its original functionality. Users select a vessel or questionnaire, and the questionnaire displays as before.

The legend and the Click to Continue button now remain fixed at the bottom of the page while users scroll through the questionnaire, keeping key actions within reach.

4. A more flexible Certificates page

The Certificates page retains its familiar functionality, now presented in a refreshed and easier-to-read design.

The Views dropdown controls which columns and rows are displayed. Users can create custom views that can be shared across the account or saved for personal use.

The aging summary now also works as a clickable filter, allowing users to drill directly into items that are due or overdue with a single click.

Q88 Aging Summary

5. A streamlined Officer Matrix

OCIMF* status now integrates directly within the Officer Matrix page. To begin, users can click the Submit to OCIMF button in the lower right corner of the page.

The integration touches a data set central to tanker vetting. The Officer Matrix, which records senior officers' ranks, certification, and sea service, is standard pre-inspection information that OCIMF inspectors and vessel vetting teams review, and OCIMF has been rolling out its updated SIRE 2.0 inspection regime, which revises how inspection information is gathered and reported across the industry.

6. A clearer Inspections view

The Inspections page now provides a clear, organized view of inspection records and supporting details.

As with the rest of the product, the workflow has not changed; only the look and feel have been modernized to align with the refreshed experience.

Everything clients know and depend on remains in place. Detailed help articles for each area guide clients through the new navigation tools they already use, and the in-app AI experience has absorbed the full library of Q88 help content.

Because the refresh delivers the new interface without any workflow changes, adoption comes down to finding familiar pages in their new locations rather than relearning tasks. With the modernized experience and AI-assisted help now in place, the clearest area to watch in future updates is how Veson continues to develop Q88 within its wider maritime software portfolio.

Source: Veson Nautical

*OCIMF: Oil Companies International Marine Forum