Power BI Dashboards

What is a Power BI Dashboard? 

A Power BI dashboard is a single-screen display of key metrics and data. It pulls data from multiple sources and presents it in the form of charts, graphs, and other visual displays. Its goal is to provide operators with at-a-glance insights relating to performance, KPIs, and trends. For organizations shipping cargo overseas, a Power BI dashboard summarizes information that is used in real-time decision-making relating to shipments, costs, vessel locations, and other parameters, for example.  

What Is Power BI? 

Power BI is a Microsoft data visualization platform used by business analysts for business intelligence (BI) purposes. Power BI uses multiple data sources and analyzes them using AI and other pattern-recognition tools for a number of reasons, including identifying trends, making decisions, and improving productivity.

Power BI empowers teams with actionable insights, increasing proactivity and efficiency. It allows for the creation of interactive reports and dashboards by connecting to a wide variety of data sources, including databases, cloud services, and Excel files. 

How Are Power BI Dashboards Used in the Maritime Industry?

Power BI dashboards are widely utilized in the maritime industry to optimize operations and improve visibility across the maritime and supply chain ecosystems. Here’s how they are applied:

• Fleet management: dashboards monitor vessel locations, fuel consumption, and maintenance schedules in real-time, helping operators reduce costs and avoid downtime
• Cargo tracking: they provide detailed updates on shipment status, transit times, and port arrival schedules, improving logistics planning
• Compliance monitoring: dashboards track regulatory requirements, such as emissions and safety standards, ensuring adherence to maritime laws
• Financial insights: maritime companies use them to analyze operational costs, revenue, and profitability, enhancing financial management

Which Power BI Dashboard Features are Important for Shippers?

What Are Some Data Sources that Power BI Dashboards Use in the Maritime Industry?

Here are some common data sources that are used to support Power BI dashboards in the maritime industry:

• Automatic Identification System (AIS) data: tracks vessel locations, movements, and speed in real-time for fleet and route optimization
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems: provides financial, inventory, and operational data for managing costs, billing, and resource allocation
• Weather data services: integrates weather patterns and forecasts to optimize routes and ensure safety during voyages
• Port management systems: monitors port activities, such as berth availability, loading/unloading times, and customs clearance for scheduling efficiency
• IoT sensors: gathers data on equipment health, fuel consumption, and cargo conditions, allowing predictive maintenance and asset management
• Supply chain/logistics platforms: tracks shipment statuses, delivery times, and delays, providing end-to-end supply chain visibility
• Compliance databases: tracks regulatory information (e.g., environmental regulations, safety standards) to ensure maritime operations meet legal requirements

How Does a Business Analyst Use a Power BI Dashboard to Improve Cargo Supply Chain Management?

A Power BI dashboard provides business analysts with the data needed to monitor and improve their supply chain operations. It starts with collecting and visualizing data from a number of sources, such as supplier databases, logistics platforms, and shipment tracking systems. 

It then presents real-time data in an easily digestible format. This data, which can include warnings for delays, and shipment statuses, makes it easy for the analyst to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies. 

In addition, Power BI Dashboards can introduce historical data into the equation. Using historical records, such as weather patterns, analysts can predict potential delays and optimize routes. The dashboard’s drill-down functionality provides analysts with a depth of data that can be used to understand and contextualize the charts and tables that appear on the dashboard. 

For example, drilling down into a chart that shows 60% of shipments are delayed might show that most of those delays are caused by a single shipping company. By avoiding that company, the shipper might easily sidestep delays and improve the resilience of the supply chain.   

What Are the Advantages of Using Power BI Dashboards Over Traditional Reporting Tools for Shipping Operations?

Power BI dashboards have a number of advantages over traditional reporting tools. These include:

• Real-time data: Power BI provides up-to-the-minute insights, allowing shippers to monitor vessel locations, cargo status, and other logistics in real-time, unlike static reports
• Interactive visuals: users can interact with charts, graphs, and tables, drilling down into specific data points for deeper analysis, whereas traditional reports are limited to static views
• Customization: Power BI dashboards can be tailored to specific metrics and KPIs, making them adaptable to different shipping operations
• Data integration: it connects multiple data sources, such as IoT devices, offering a unified view of the supply chain
• Mobile access: dashboards are accessible on mobile devices, allowing shippers to stay informed on the go, unlike traditional, desktop-based reports

Generating More Leads with AI

Bunker traders, shipowners, financial institutions, and insurers can use Maritime AI™ to unlock new business opportunities, and stay head commercially with:

• Integrated, AI-driven insights
• An extensive database
• Flexible search functionalities