JOC Sailings Refines Website for Customer Ease of Use

NEWARK, N.J., Dec. 17, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- JOC Sailings (www.jocsailings.com), a division of United Business Media Global Trade (UBM GT) and a leader in providing point-to-point sailing schedules and business news for the maritime industry, implemented search and architectural improvements as part of an ongoing plan to improve users' experience on www.jocsailings.com – an online resource for worldwide sailing schedules, carrier and vessel directories and timely maritime news.

JOC Sailings' business executives and web development team earlier this year devoted several months to the launch of a revised website, which took place in July 2010. Since then, they have continued to invest in analyzing and improving the site's value for its visitors. One result of these efforts has been a dramatic decrease in page load times. The team will continue to test and monitor progress for further development.

Perfecting the schedule search module that is the crown jewel of JOC Sailings is a top priority. Ocean transportation professionals, including port officials, freight forwarders and manufacturers, rely upon this tool daily to obtain port-to-port sailings schedules. Direct feedback from customers regarding their experiences with the newly redesigned website have led to some notable enhancements:

• Allowing "All Origin Points" or "All Destination Points" as search criteria. These options allow users to run a single search for all vessels coming into or leaving a specific port—something that required multiple "Region" searches in the past.
• Adding "Container" as a separate Vessel Type search filter. Previously included in the default "All" category, this new filter gives users greater ability to define their searches and receive more relevant results.

"Our continuous dedication to building upon the success of the JOC Sailings global sailing schedule module and the delivery of informative maritime industry news is based on our priority to keep customers happy and gain repeat business from our clients. We will do what we have to keep this positive relationship flourishing." said Ray Venturino, VP Global Seaports of JOC Sailings.

JOC Sailings provides NVOCC's, 3PL's, BCO's and other major players in the ocean shipping industry with a global sailing schedule module that accurately displays sailing schedules. Searches may be performed by region, country and ports, and refined by carriers, vessel types, departure dates and date ranges. Results include arrival dates, vessel names and voyage numbers, which can be sorted by column.

About JOC Sailings

JOC Sailings, a division of The Journal of Commerce, is a proprietary global sailing schedules database and industry news resource for professionals involved in the ocean transportation industry. JOCSailings.com's state-of-the-art search engine provides access to worldwide shipping schedules and related news on carrier rates, port developments and regulatory issues that affect containerized cargo and ocean transportation industry. For high-profile targeted advertising, enewsletter subscriptions and more information, please visit www.jocsailings.com.

About UBM Global Trade

UBM Global Trade is the leading provider of proprietary data, news, business intelligence and analytical content supporting commercial maritime, rail, trucking, warehousing and logistics industries worldwide. The company's portfolio of more than 100 online, print and interactive workflow business solutions includes The Journal of Commerce, Breakbulk, RailResource, PIERS Global Intelligence Solutions and an array of international trade and transportation databases and directories. UBM Global Trade, a subsidiary of United Business Media Limited, is headquartered in Newark, NJ, with offices throughout the United States. For more information, explore www.ubmglobaltrade.com or call 800-223-0243 (+1-973-848-7250 outside the U.S. or Canada).

About United Business Media Limited

UBM (UBM.L) focuses on two principal activities: worldwide information distribution, targeting and monitoring, and the development and monetization of B2B communities and markets. UBM's businesses inform markets and serve professional commercial communities -- from doctors to game developers, from journalists to jewelry traders, from farmers to pharmacists -- with integrated events, online, print and business information products. The 6,500 staff in more than 30 countries is organized into specialist teams that serve these communities, bringing buyers and sellers together, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently. For more information, go to www.ubm.com.

SOURCE JOC Sailings