Auckland Coastguard IRMF Innovation winner using Sea-Flux – Case Study

Auckland Coastguard in numbers
Number of volunteers: 100
Fleet size: 3

As the busiest of New Zealand’s 63 Coastguard units, Auckland Coastguard operates three rescue vessels, including two unique “Heavy” all-weather rescue craft that provide regional coverage, and a fast-response boat originally donated after the AC36 America’s Cup. With a dedicated team of around 100 volunteers contributing approximately 25,000 hours each year, the organisation has brought more than 15,000 people home safely over the past decade. This year, it continues to see a 40 per cent rise in taskings compared to last year.

Before Sea-Flux: The Weight of Paperwork

Before adopting Sea-Flux, Auckland Coastguard faced growing challenges with paper-based and manual systems. Maintenance schedules, incident logs, and compliance records were all managed by hand or through spreadsheets.

“We had massive data discrepancies, a backlog of paperwork, and duplication everywhere,” recalls Paul Psaila, General Manager. “Every incident sheet alone was handled seven times before it reached the right file.”

As a New Zealand Tier 3 charity, the organisation operates under strict audit requirements that demand precise and verifiable records. Before using Sea-Flux, audits consumed almost three months of staff and Board time each year.

A Seamless Digital Transition

Sea-Flux was introduced through a structured rollout that began with vessel logs and drills, followed by safety and compliance documentation, and later health and safety features. Volunteers across all levels received practical training to ensure confidence and consistency.

“Some crews were quick to adopt it, others needed a little more time,” says Emma Psaila, Operations and Training Coordinator, “but once they saw how simple it was to record, search, and retrieve information, everyone understood its value.”

Immediate Results

Within months, the benefits were unmistakable. Safety and maintenance checks became easier to monitor, providing full transparency to the volunteer board without the need to sift through piles of paperwork. Equipment history, repairs, and upcoming maintenance could all be tracked in real time, including who completed each task, enabling better planning and stronger decision-making.

Audits that previously took months now take only days. “Our last audit was a breeze in comparison,” Paul says. “With Sea-Flux, we can show the entire history and source of our data instantly and prove its accuracy.”

Smarter Planning and Greater Accountability

Sea-Flux’s digital logging and export capabilities have revolutionised how Auckland Coastguard handles information. Activity data, including fuel usage, engine hours, and volunteer time, can now be exported into clear reports for financial transparency. This improvement is vital for their fully donor-funded operations.

The software has also saved the equivalent of one full-time role, easing administrative pressure and enabling remote access from anywhere. “If we had Sea-Flux during lockdown, we could have continued working without travelling to the office to access paper logs,” adds Luke McCarthy, Operations Manager.