Accelerated Maximo 7.6 to MAS 9.0 Upgrade for a Major UK Ferry Operator

The Client

One of the UK's largest and most recognized ferry operators, delivering over 100 sailings per day between the Isle of Wight and the mainland. The operator manages a complex fleet, critical shore-side infrastructure, and operates under stringent maritime safety and regulatory requirements. IBM Maximo is central to managing assets, maintenance, inventory, and operational performance.

The Challenge

By mid-2024, the organization identified the strategic need to modernise its aging Maximo 7.x platform ahead of IBM's end-of-support milestone. The legacy system was running on-premises with an aging infrastructure, increasing maintenance complexity, and growing regulatory demands.

The client needed to upgrade to MAS, move to cloud-hosted infrastructure, convert their database to DB2, overhaul inventory management processes, and establish integration with Microsoft Dynamics for financial alignment, all within an accelerated timeline to meet the September 2025 deadline.

What MaxIron Delivered

MaxIron executed the program through a structured, multi-workstream delivery approach: mobilization and discovery, target process and solution design, build and configuration, data migration and validation, SIT/UAT, cutover, hypercare, and transition to BAU.

• MAS 9.0 upgrade: full upgrade from Maximo 7.6 to IBM MAS 9.0.1 on Red Hat OpenShift, with database conversion to DB2
• Cloud migration: transition from on-premises to a fully managed cloud-hosted environment with support tooling, incident management, and release management controls
• Inventory optimization: core inventory processes re-established and standardized within Maximo, including subassemblies, rotating parts, bills of materials, and warehouse transactions
• Microsoft Dynamics integration: secure integration layer for purchase orders and goods receipts flowing from Maximo to Dynamics, providing end-to-end traceability between maintenance demand, procurement, and financial reporting

Outcomes

• Moved off a legacy 7.x platform approaching end of life, improved performance, stability, and system visibility
• Standardized inventory management practices, optimizing spare parts and supply chain
• Increased operational resilience with modern Red Hat OpenShift deployment
• Tighter operational and financial integration, improved stock accuracy, reduced duplication, and Maximo positioned as the single source of operational truth
• Reduced cost through elimination of enhanced support fees and legacy database licences

Long-Term Support

MaxIron continues to support the client by proactively identifying optimization opportunities, sharing cross-sector best practice, and continuously refining system performance and governance. Through ongoing operational insight, MaxIron provides early visibility of improvements, emerging risks, and efficiency gains, ensuring the MAS platform evolves with organizational needs rather than remaining static after initial delivery.