--- title: "Voyage Management Software vs. Maritime ERP: What Is the Difference?" description: Voyage management software handles chartering and operations. Maritime ERP connects those workflows to finance, compliance, banking, and accounting. Here is how to tell the difference and which one your company needs. image: https://www.marlo.co/hubfs/Blog%20banner%20%2835%29.png --- [Skip to the main content.](https://www.marlo.co/blog/voyage-management-software-vs-maritime-erp#main-content) [![MARLO](https://www.marlo.co/hubfs/marlo-co-logo.svg "MARLO")](https://www.marlo.co) [![marlo-co-logo](https://www.marlo.co/hubfs/marlo-co-logo.svg "marlo-co-logo")](https://www.marlo.co) - Solutions - Solutions - [Roles](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-role) - [CEOs, CFOs and COOs](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-role#CXO) - [Chartering managers](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-role#Charteringmanagers) - [Operations managers](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-role#Operationsmanagers) - [Accountants & Finance controllers](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-role#Accountants) - [Business models](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-business-models) - [Vessel owners](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-business-models#Vesselowners) - [Vessel operators](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-business-models#Vesseloperators) - 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Company *Toggle Menu* - [About us](https://www.marlo.co/about-us) - [Careers](https://www.marlo.co/careers) - Resources *Toggle Menu* - [Our blog](https://www.marlo.co/blog) - [Privacy policy](https://www.marlo.co/privacy-policy) - [Terms of use](https://www.marlo.co/terms-of-use) - Support *Toggle Menu* - [Contact us](https://www.marlo.co/contact-us) - [FAQs](https://support.marlo.co/support/home) - [Log in](https://app-r.marlo.co/) - [Try for free](https://app.marlo.co/sign-up) [*LinkedIn*](https://www.linkedin.com/company/26193822/admin/dashboard/) ##### [Roles](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-role) Solutions Aligned with Maritime Roles - [CEOs, CFOs and COOs](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-role#CXO) - [Chartering managers](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-role#Charteringmanagers) - [Operations managers](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-role#Operationsmanagers) - [Accountants & Finance controllers](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-role#Accountants) ##### [Business models](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-business-models) Model-Specific Business Solutions - [Vessel owners](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-business-models#Vesselowners) - [Vessel operators](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-business-models#Vesseloperators) - [Commercial managers](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-business-models#Commercialmanagers) ##### Analytics Streamlined data insights - [Dashboard](https://www.marlo.co/dashboards) - [Cashflow](https://www.marlo.co/cashflow) - [Valuations](https://www.marlo.co/valuations) - [Credit score](https://www.marlo.co/credit-score) - [Sanctions](https://www.marlo.co/sanctions) ##### Voyage management Optimized maritime voyage planning - [Chartering](https://www.marlo.co/chartering) - [Operations](https://www.marlo.co/operations) - [Receivables](https://www.marlo.co/accounts-receivable) - [Payables](https://www.marlo.co/accounts-payable) ##### Finance Enhanced financial stability - [Loans](https://www.marlo.co/finance) - [Covenants](https://www.marlo.co/covenants) - [Accounting](https://www.marlo.co/app-integrations#Integratedaccounting) ##### Banking Maritime-focused business banking - [Global account](https://www.marlo.co/business-account) - [FX & Transfer](https://www.marlo.co/fx-transfer) - [Borderless cards](https://www.marlo.co/corporate-cards) - [Integrations](https://www.marlo.co/app-integrations) ##### Company Learn more about Marlo. - [About us](https://www.marlo.co/about-us) - [Careers](https://www.marlo.co/careers) ##### Resources Access legal documents and policies. - [Our blog](https://www.marlo.co/blog) - [Privacy policy](https://www.marlo.co/privacy-policy) - [Terms of use](https://www.marlo.co/terms-of-use) ##### Support Get solutions to all your questions. - [Contact us](https://www.marlo.co/contact-us) - [FAQs](https://support.marlo.co/support/home) 2 min read # Voyage Management Software vs. Maritime ERP: What Is the Difference? [![Picture of Alex](https://www.marlo.co/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(98)-1.png) Alex](https://www.marlo.co/blog/author/alex) : May 22, 2026 [Voyage management software vs maritime ERP](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/voyage-management-software-vs-maritime-erp) [Maritime platform comparison](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/maritime-platform-comparison) [Maritime software buying guide](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/maritime-software-buying-guide) ![Voyage Management Software vs. Maritime ERP: What Is the Difference?](https://www.marlo.co/hubfs/Blog%20banner%20%2835%29.png) Voyage management software (VMS) and maritime ERP are terms that are frequently used interchangeably in the shipping industry. They are not the same thing, and the distinction matters when a company is choosing a platform. Understanding the difference helps shipping companies ask the right questions, evaluate the right options, and avoid buying a system that solves half the problem.   ## What Voyage Management Software Does Voyage management software handles the operational core of a shipping company's workflow. This typically includes: - Voyage estimation and planning -   - Chartering and fixture management -   - Voyage operations tracking -   - Laytime and demurrage calculation -   - Bunker management and procurement tracking -   - Port cost management (disbursement accounts) -   - Accounts receivable and payable at the voyage level -   VMS is built around the voyage as the unit of work. It tracks what is happening on each vessel, from fixture to completion, and provides the operational team with the data they need to manage the voyage. What VMS typically does not include: finance and accounting beyond the voyage level, compliance tools such as sanctions screening or emissions monitoring, business banking and payments, loan and covenant management, cashflow forecasting, or real-time financial analytics.   ## What Maritime ERP Does Maritime ERP extends the scope of the platform from voyage management to the full financial and operational lifecycle of a shipping company. A maritime ERP platform connects the voyage data that VMS produces to the financial, compliance, and banking functions that sit around it. This means a maritime ERP typically includes everything a VMS offers, plus: - General ledger integration and accounting software sync -   - Cashflow forecasting derived from voyage and loan data -   - Multi-currency accounting and FX management -   - Loan and debt tracking with covenant monitoring -   - Sanctions screening against global watchlists -   - CII monitoring and EU ETS emissions tracking -   - Business banking, FX transfers, and corporate card management -   - Real-time financial dashboards across the fleet -   The key distinction is integration. In a maritime ERP, the same system that manages the voyage also calculates the EU ETS obligation, checks the counterparty against a sanctions list, posts the invoice to the accounting ledger, and updates the cashflow forecast. The data flows through one platform, not across multiple tools.   ## Why the Distinction Matters in Practice Many shipping companies start with VMS and discover over time that the gaps are creating operational friction. The finance team works in a separate accounting system. The compliance check is a manual process before each fixture. The CFO gets a cashflow projection assembled from spreadsheets. The covenant reporting goes to the bank as a separate exercise disconnected from voyage performance. These are not minor inconveniences. They are sources of error, delay, and risk. And they are avoidable when the platform covers the full scope.   ## How to Know Which One You Need If your primary need is operational: managing voyages, tracking fixtures, calculating laytime, and recording port costs, a VMS may be sufficient for your current stage. If you also need real-time financial visibility across the fleet, compliant emissions tracking, automated sanctions screening, accounting software sync, cashflow forecasting from operational data, or loan and covenant management, you need a maritime ERP, not just voyage management software. The question to ask is not "what does this system do?" but "what does this system not do, and how will we handle those gaps?"   ## Marlo as a Maritime ERP for Mid-Size Shipping Companies Marlo is a unified maritime ERP platform built for mid-size shipping companies. It combines voyage management, finance, banking, compliance, and analytics in one system. Sanctions screening, CII monitoring, and EU ETS tracking are native. Xero and QuickBooks sync is built in. Business banking, FX, and corporate cards are part of the platform. Pricing starts at £500 per month. A 7-day free trial is available at marlo.co with self-service sign-up. **Compare platform scope at [marlo.co/pricing](https://www.marlo.co/pricing)** [![Marlo ERP Ops Management for Maritime Compliance](https://www.marlo.co/hubfs/Blog%20banner%20%2839%29.png)](https://www.marlo.co/blog/marlo-erp-ops-management-for-maritime-compliance) #### [Marlo ERP Ops Management for Maritime Compliance](https://www.marlo.co/blog/marlo-erp-ops-management-for-maritime-compliance) ![Picture of Alex](https://www.marlo.co/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(98)-1.png?width=30&name=Untitled%20design%20(98)-1.png) [Alex](https://www.marlo.co/blog/author/alex): Jun 19, 2026 Maritime compliance obligations have expanded significantly over the past three years. EU ETS reporting, CII ratings, IMO Carbon Intensity... [Maritime ERP](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/maritime-erp) [CII compliance](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/cii-compliance) [EUETS](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/euets) [Voyage Management](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/voyage-management) [maritime-compliance](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/maritime-compliance) [CII rating](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/cii-rating) [Read More](https://www.marlo.co/blog/marlo-erp-ops-management-for-maritime-compliance) [![9 Reasons Maritime Ops Software Fails Decision Making](https://www.marlo.co/hubfs/Blog%20banner%20%2837%29.png)](https://www.marlo.co/blog/9-reasons-maritime-ops-software-fails-decision-making) #### [9 Reasons Maritime Ops Software Fails Decision Making](https://www.marlo.co/blog/9-reasons-maritime-ops-software-fails-decision-making) ![Picture of Alex](https://www.marlo.co/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(98)-1.png?width=30&name=Untitled%20design%20(98)-1.png) [Alex](https://www.marlo.co/blog/author/alex): Jun 5, 2026 Shipping companies invest in operations software to gain control over voyage P&L, bunker costs, laytime exposure, and compliance obligations. Yet... [Maritime ERP](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/maritime-erp) [Voyage Management](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/voyage-management) [Shipping Software](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/shipping-software) [Real-time maritime finance](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/real-time-maritime-finance) [Fleet-decision-making](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/fleet-decision-making) [Read More](https://www.marlo.co/blog/9-reasons-maritime-ops-software-fails-decision-making) [![How Shipping Company CFOs Can Get Real-Time Financial Visibility Across Their Fleet](https://www.marlo.co/hubfs/Blog%20banner%20%2836%29.png)](https://www.marlo.co/blog/shipping-company-cfo-real-time-financial-visibility) #### [How Shipping Company CFOs Can Get Real-Time Financial Visibility Across Their Fleet](https://www.marlo.co/blog/shipping-company-cfo-real-time-financial-visibility) ![Picture of Alex](https://www.marlo.co/hs-fs/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(98)-1.png?width=30&name=Untitled%20design%20(98)-1.png) [Alex](https://www.marlo.co/blog/author/alex): May 29, 2026 For most mid-size shipping companies, the CFO's financial picture of the fleet is assembled once a month. Voyage P&L comes from the operations... [Shipping company CFO financial visibility](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/shipping-company-cfo-financial-visibility) [Maritime cashflow forecasting](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/maritime-cashflow-forecasting) [Real-time maritime finance](https://www.marlo.co/blog/tag/real-time-maritime-finance) [Read More](https://www.marlo.co/blog/shipping-company-cfo-real-time-financial-visibility) ![Marlo logo](https://www.marlo.co/hubfs/Marlo%20logo.svg) Certificates ![AICPA certificate logo](https://www.marlo.co/hubfs/footer_certificate1.png) ##### Analytics - [Dashboard](https://www.marlo.co/dashboards) - [Cashflow](https://www.marlo.co/cashflow) - [Valuations](https://www.marlo.co/valuations) - [Credit score](https://www.marlo.co/credit-score) - [Sanctions](https://www.marlo.co/sanctions) - Finance - [Loans](https://www.marlo.co/finance) - [Covenants](https://www.marlo.co/covenants) ##### Voyage management - [Chartering](https://www.marlo.co/chartering) - [Operations](https://www.marlo.co/operations) - [Receivables](https://www.marlo.co/accounts-receivable) - [Payables](https://www.marlo.co/accounts-payable) - Banking - [Global account](https://www.marlo.co/business-account) - [FX & Transfer](https://www.marlo.co/fx-transfer) - [Borderless cards](https://www.marlo.co/corporate-cards) - [Integrations](https://www.marlo.co/app-integrations) ##### Solutions - [Roles](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-role) - [Business models](https://www.marlo.co/solutions-by-business-models) - Company - [About us](https://www.marlo.co/about-us) - [Our blog](https://www.marlo.co/blog) - [Privacy policy](https://www.marlo.co/privacy-policy) - [Terms of use](https://www.marlo.co/terms-of-use) - [Careers](https://www.marlo.co/careers) - [FAQs](https://support.marlo.co/support/home) - [Contact us](https://www.marlo.co/contact-us) © 2026 Marlo Technologies Limited. 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Covers voyage management, freight finance, banking, accounts payable and receivable, sanctions screening, CII compliance, and vessel performance monitoring.", "featureList" : [ "Voyage management system", "Pre-fixture and post-fixture operations", "Freight finance and voyage P&L", "Accounts payable and receivable", "Maritime banking and FX transfers", "Sanctions screening", "CII rating management", "Vessel and fleet valuation", "Cargo and vessel tracking", "Covenant monitoring", "Demurrage tracking", "Bunker cost management" ], "name" : "Marlo", "offers" : { "@type" : "Offer", "url" : "https://www.marlo.co/pricing" }, "operatingSystem" : "Web", "url" : "https://www.marlo.co" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "FAQPage", "mainEntity" : [ { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Maritime ERP software is a centralised platform that manages the full lifecycle of shipping operations — including voyage planning, freight finance, accounts payable and receivable, banking, and compliance. Unlike generic ERP systems, maritime ERP is built around the specific workflows of vessel owners, tanker operators, dry bulk operators, and commercial shipping companies. Marlo is a maritime ERP platform designed specifically for these operators." }, "name" : "What is maritime ERP software?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Marlo combines voyage management, finance, banking, and compliance in a single platform — whereas Veson IMOS primarily focuses on voyage management and requires third-party integrations for finance and banking. Marlo is built for dry bulk, tanker, and commercial shipping operators who want one connected system without the complexity and cost of enterprise legacy software." }, "name" : "How is Marlo different from Veson IMOS?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Yes. Marlo includes a full voyage management system covering pre-fixture planning, post-fixture operations, chartering, cargo tracking, and vessel performance monitoring — alongside integrated finance and banking tools. Shipping companies use Marlo to replace disconnected VMS, accounting, and banking tools with one platform." }, "name" : "Can Marlo replace my existing voyage management system?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Marlo is purpose-built for dry bulk operators, tanker owners, and commercial shipping companies. The platform handles the specific financial and operational workflows these segments require — including voyage P&L reconciliation, demurrage tracking, bunker cost management, and CII compliance monitoring." }, "name" : "Does Marlo support tanker and dry bulk operators?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Marlo Technologies Limited is headquartered in London, with offices in Chennai, Singapore, and Dubai. The platform is used by vessel owners and operators managing fleets across global dry bulk and tanker trade routes." }, "name" : "Where is Marlo based and who uses it?" } ] } ```