New Zealand maritime technology company Sea-Flux is strengthening its presence in Australia, offering commercial vessel operators a practical alternative to the paper logs, spreadsheets, whiteboards and disconnected software systems still widely used to manage compliance and vessel operations.
Australian Commercial Marine Conference – ACMG © Salty Dingo 2026
The company recently presented its platform to delegates at the Australian Commercial Marine Conference in Sydney, where Sea-Flux Sales Executive Blair Sneddon described the software as a “digital first mate” capable of keeping operators informed, organised and ready for an audit.
Sea-Flux was founded by New Zealand mariner Tai Ellis after his own experience exposed the limitations of traditional vessel management systems. Having worked aboard commercial vessels and superyachts, Ellis encountered software that was complicated, inconsistent or inaccessible when it was needed. Sea-Flux began as a way to manage his own compliance workload before developing into a cloud-based platform designed specifically for commercial maritime operators.
Sneddon also brings considerable operational experience to the business. Before moving into entrepreneurship and commercial sales, he served as both a volunteer and professional surf lifesaver and competed as a national-level surf athlete. He later joined the Royal New Zealand Navy, serving as a Warfare Officer and qualifying as a bridge watchkeeper during deployments in New Zealand and overseas. His role with Sea-Flux has brought him back to the maritime industry, helping operators improve safety and reduce administrative pressure.
Australian Commercial Marine Conference – ACMG © Salty Dingo 2026
At the centre of the company’s offering is an all-in-one vessel and fleet management platform that brings voyage logs, maintenance records, crew qualifications, safety drills, vessel documentation, checklists and operational reporting into a centralised system.
Accessible through web browsers and mobile devices, Sea-Flux can operate both online and offline, allowing crew to continue recording information when vessels are outside reliable communications coverage. Information entered aboard a vessel can then be made available to shore-based management, improving visibility, traceability and accountability across an entire operation.
The platform can also schedule preventative maintenance, monitor expiring certificates and safety equipment, record incidents, maintain risk registers and track crew training and hours of rest. Customisable digital forms and checklists allow operators to adapt the system to their own Safety Management System and operating requirements rather than forcing crews into a rigid, generic process.
Sneddon said ease of use was fundamental to the product’s development.
“If it’s easy to use, crew will actually use it,” he told conference delegates.
That adoption is important because accurate, consistently maintained records can significantly reduce the work required before an audit. Sneddon said customers that once spent weeks preparing documentation were now completing the process in days or even hours.
He also said feedback from auditors indicated that clean and accessible digital records could allow as much as 70 per cent of an audit to be completed remotely. This can shorten the auditor’s time aboard, reducing disruption and vessel downtime.
Sea-Flux is now used aboard more than 1,500 vessels by approximately 12,000 crew members internationally, according to figures presented at the conference. Its customers operate across commercial fleets, government and search and rescue services, passenger transport, tourism, fishing, aquaculture and luxury charter operations.
The company launched Sea-Flux 2.0 in May 2026, introducing a redesigned interface, streamlined workflows and improved performance across its web, iOS and Android platforms. The upgrade also provides the foundation for further development, including expanded fatigue-management capabilities.
For further information or to arrange a demonstration, Marine Business News readers can contact Blair Sneddon through Sea-Flux on or visit their website HERE
