The maritime vessel financial analysis system provides comprehensive budget oversight through:
  1. Multi-dimensional Analysis: Budget variance, expenditure tracking, and committed cost monitoring
  2. Mathematical Precision: Accurate calculations with proper temporal adjustments
  3. AI-Enhanced Insights: Intelligent variance analysis with natural language explanations
  4. Interactive Reporting: Drill-down capabilities and configurable visualizations
  5. Scalable Architecture: Production-ready deployment supporting large vessel fleets

Data sources we use

  • Budget Allocations: Monthly budget data across expense categories (OPEX, Non-Budget, Dry-Dock, Pre-Delivery)
  • Expense Transactions: Actual financial transactions with posting dates and account classifications
  • Committed Costs: Purchase orders and future financial obligations
  • Period Definitions: Reporting periods and operational day calculations
  • Fund Receipts: Capital inflows and budget allocations

Financial modules assessed

The system comprises four specialized analysis modules:
  • Budget Variance Analysis: Core financial variance calculations with fund status tracking
  • Expenditure Overview: Detailed tabular reporting with interactive drill-down capabilities
  • Committed Cost Analysis: Purchase order tracking and commitment monitoring
  • AI-Powered Monthly Variance: Intelligent variance insights with GPT-based explanations

System Architecture

The SIYA financial analytics platform follows a comprehensive ETL architecture that processes data from multiple ERP sources through intelligent transformation and analysis layers:

Architecture Components

External Data Sources
  • Multiple ERP systems providing vessel financial data
  • Real-time and batch data feeds
  • Standardized data formats and APIs
SIYA ETL Pipeline
  • Data Ingestion Layer: Handles multiple data source connections and formats
  • Transformation Engine: Applies mathematical calculations and business rules
  • Validation & Deduplication: Ensures data quality and removes duplicates
  • AI Processing Module: Leverages machine learning for intelligent insights
Storage & Analytics
  • MongoDB Cluster: Scalable document database for financial data
  • Analytics Engine: Real-time processing and calculation engine
  • ML Models: AI models for variance prediction and anomaly detection
Output Systems
  • MCP Integration: Model Context Protocol for seamless data access
  • Financial Reports: Automated report generation and distribution
  • Executive Dashboards: Interactive visualizations and KPIs
  • Variance Alerts: Proactive notifications for budget deviations

Mathematical calculations

Prorata Budget Allocation

For time-sensitive expense categories (CREW WAGES, LUBE OIL CONSUMPTION, MANAGEMENT FEES), the system implements proportional budget allocation: Adjusted Amount=Budget AmountStandard Period×Actual Period\text{Adjusted Amount} = \frac{\text{Budget Amount}}{\text{Standard Period}} \times \text{Actual Period} Where:
  • Budget Amount: Original allocated budget for the category
  • Standard Period: Standard time period (typically 30 days)
  • Actual Period: Current elapsed days in the reporting period

Year-to-Date Budget Normalization

Budget amounts are adjusted for partial reporting periods using two methods: Standard YTD Calculation: Normalized Budget=Monthly Budgetdˉ×dcurrent\text{Normalized Budget} = \frac{\text{Monthly Budget}}{\bar{d}} \times d_{current} Where dˉ=30.416667\bar{d} = 30.416667 (average days per month: 36512\frac{365}{12}) Period-Based YTD Calculation: Normalized Budget=Monthly BudgetPeriod Days×dcurrent\text{Normalized Budget} = \frac{\text{Monthly Budget}}{\text{Period Days}} \times d_{current}

Variance Analysis

The core variance calculations used across all modules: Absolute Variance: Vabs=BAV_{abs} = B - A Percentage Variance: V%=BAB×100V_{\%} = \frac{B - A}{B} \times 100 Committed Cost Variance: Vcc=B(A+C)V_{cc} = B - (A + C) Vcc%=B(A+C)B×100V_{cc\%} = \frac{B - (A + C)}{B} \times 100 Where:
  • BB = Budget amount
  • AA = Actual expenses
  • CC = Committed costs (future obligations)

Daily Rate Analysis

For operational efficiency assessment: Rdaily=ADopsR_{daily} = \frac{A}{D_{ops}} Rcc=A+CDopsR_{cc} = \frac{A + C}{D_{ops}} Rbudget=BDops+1R_{budget} = \frac{B}{D_{ops} + 1} Where DopsD_{ops} = Number of operational days

Fund Balance Reconciliation

The system tracks fund status across multiple categories: Balance=i=1nFij=1mEj\text{Balance} = \sum_{i=1}^{n} F_i - \sum_{j=1}^{m} E_j Where:
  • FiF_i = Individual fund receipts
  • EjE_j = Individual expenses
Surplus/Deficit Classification: Status={Surplusif Balance>0Deficitif Balance<0Balancedif Balance=0\text{Status} = \begin{cases} \text{Surplus} & \text{if Balance} > 0 \\ \text{Deficit} & \text{if Balance} < 0 \\ \text{Balanced} & \text{if Balance} = 0 \end{cases}

AI-Enhanced Analysis

Fuzzy String Matching

For expense consolidation and duplicate detection: Similarity Score=Matching CharactersTotal Characters×100\text{Similarity Score} = \frac{\text{Matching Characters}}{\text{Total Characters}} \times 100

Commitment Percentage Calculation

For committed cost analysis: C%=CBOPEX×100C_{\%} = \frac{C}{B_{OPEX}} \times 100 Where CC = Total committed costs and BOPEXB_{OPEX} = OPEX budget allocation

What is displayed in each module

Budget Variance Analysis Module

  • YTD Budget vs Actual: Comparison of year-to-date budget against actual expenses
  • Fund Status: Surplus/deficit analysis across fund categories
  • Daily Rate Metrics: Per-day OPEX calculations and budget comparisons
  • Variance Percentages: Detailed percentage variance analysis

Expenditure Overview Module

  • Interactive Tables: Drill-down capabilities with monthly expense breakdowns
  • Category Analysis: Hierarchical expense categorization and sorting
  • Period Comparisons: Month-over-month expense tracking
  • Prorata Indicators: Identification of prorata-calculated expenses

Committed Cost Analysis Module

  • Purchase Order Tracking: Detailed PO information with supplier data
  • Temporal Analysis: Current vs previous month commitment comparison
  • Budget Impact: Percentage of OPEX budget committed
  • Category Breakdown: OPEX, Non-Budget, Dry-Dock, and Pre-Delivery commitments

AI-Powered Monthly Variance Module

  • Intelligent Narratives: GPT-generated explanations of variance causes
  • Top Expense Analysis: Automated identification of significant expenses
  • Monthly Summaries: AI-powered monthly variance explanations
  • Trend Analysis: Historical variance pattern recognition

Expense categorization

The system uses hierarchical expense grouping:
GroupCategoriesDescription
OPEXCREW WAGES, CREW EXPENSES, VICTUALLING EXPENSES, STORES, SPARES, LUBE OIL CONSUMPTION, REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE, MANAGEMENT FEES, MISCELLANEOUS, ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSESOperational expenses
NBINSURANCE, NON-BUDGETED EXPENSES, P&I/H&M EXPENSES, VOYAGE/CHARTERERS EXPENSES, CAPITAL EXPENDITURE, EXTRA ORDINARY ITEMS, VESSEL UPGRADING COSTS, LAY-UP COSTSNon-budgeted items
DDDRYDOCKING EXPENSESDry-docking specific expenses
PDPRE-DELIVERY EXPENSESPre-delivery expenses

Performance indicators and color coding

StatusVariance RangeColorAction Required
Within Budget±5%\pm 5\%GreenContinue monitoring
Attention Required>±5%> \pm 5\% and ±10%\leq \pm 10\%YellowReview and plan checks
Action Required>±10%> \pm 10\%RedImmediate investigation needed

Interactive features

  • Drill-down Tables: Click-through capability for detailed expense analysis
  • Period Selection: Configurable time ranges for trend analysis
  • Category Filtering: Focus on specific expense categories
  • Export Options: Multiple format support (CSV, JSON, PDF reports)

AI insights generation

The system leverages OpenAI GPT-4 for intelligent analysis:
  • Variance Explanations: Natural language explanations of budget deviations
  • Trend Analysis: Identification of expense patterns and anomalies
  • Actionable Recommendations: Specific suggestions for cost management
  • Monthly Summaries: Automated generation of financial performance summaries

Data quality and validation

  • Prorata Identification: Automatic flagging of prorata-calculated expenses
  • Duplicate Detection: Fuzzy matching to identify and consolidate similar expenses
  • Data Completeness: Validation of required fields and data integrity
  • Period Alignment: Ensures proper temporal alignment of budget and expense data

Report generation

The system generates comprehensive reports including:
  • Executive Summaries: High-level financial performance overview
  • Detailed Variance Analysis: Category-wise budget vs actual comparisons
  • Fund Status Reports: Multi-dimensional fund balance analysis
  • Committed Cost Summaries: Future obligation tracking and impact analysis

Example calculation: Budget variance analysis

Consider a vessel with the following monthly data:
  • Budget Amount: $100,000
  • Actual Expenses: $115,000
  • Committed Costs: $25,000
  • Operational Days: 30

Variance Calculations

Vabs=100,000115,000=15,000 USDV_{abs} = 100,000 - 115,000 = -15,000 \text{ USD} V%=100,000115,000100,000×100=15%V_{\%} = \frac{100,000 - 115,000}{100,000} \times 100 = -15\% Vcc=100,000(115,000+25,000)=40,000 USDV_{cc} = 100,000 - (115,000 + 25,000) = -40,000 \text{ USD} Rdaily=115,00030=3,833 USD/dayR_{daily} = \frac{115,000}{30} = 3,833 \text{ USD/day} Status: Red (exceeds ±10% threshold) - Immediate investigation required

Best practices for interpretation

  • Consider Multiple Dimensions: Analyze budget variance alongside committed costs and fund status
  • Temporal Context: Review trends over multiple periods rather than single-point analysis
  • Category-Specific Analysis: Different expense categories have different variance tolerances
  • Operational Context: Consider vessel operational status and market conditions
  • Proactive Monitoring: Use AI insights for early identification of potential issues