Introducing Contracts Management in Closelink

Managing multiple lubricant supply contracts is one of the more complex parts of lube oil procurement. Until now, that complexity wasn't fully reflected inside Closelink.

Prices existed in the platform, but keeping them accurate was a persistent challenge. When a new price list came in from a supplier, it had to be manually uploaded - and if that step was missed or delayed, orders went out against outdated pricing. For deliveries falling into the next pricing period, there was no way to handle it at all: only one price list could exist at a time, so contracted suppliers had to either confirm the old price still applied or correct it manually within their offer.

Beyond pricing, there was no structured way to manage multiple agreements per supplier, track which contracts applied to which vessels, or link a contract directly to an enquiry.

Contracts Management solves that.

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What it is

Contracts Management is a new feature in Closelink that lets you manage your lubricant supply agreements directly inside the platform - alongside the enquiries and orders they apply to. No more switching between systems, no more manually checking which price list is current.

You can create a contract, link it to a supplier, define which companies and vessels it covers, upload multiple price lists with their own validity periods, and let Closelink automatically apply the right prices when you create an enquiry.

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Why it matters

Lubricant procurement isn't simple. Prices change regularly. Group structures mean different companies or vessel groups might operate under different agreements. Some companies manage contracts on behalf of vessel owners; others have special pricing for newbuildings.

Previously, Closelink could only hold one price list per customer-supplier relationship. That was fine for straightforward setups - but for anyone managing multiple agreements, seasonal pricing, or group-level contracts, it created friction and risk.

Now all of that can be managed in one place.

The result is less time spent on manual corrections and back-and-forth with suppliers to confirm which price applies - and more time and headspace for other value-adding tasks.

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What's new

• Multiple price lists under one contract You can now upload multiple price lists under the same contract, each with its own validity window. As a new price list comes in from a supplier, it can be uploaded ahead of time and set to activate when the next period begins - letting Closelink handle the transition automatically. No manual switching, no duplicating contracts just because prices change, and no orders going out against outdated pricing because the new list hadn't been loaded yet.
• Always the right price When you create an enquiry, Closelink applies the price list that matches your expected delivery date - not just today's date. If you're placing an order in March for an April elivery, the system uses the April pricing automatically. For suppliers with time-based pricing, this removes a persistent source of manual correction.
• Manual or automatic activation Price list activation can be managed manually - where users select which price list is active - or set to automatic, where Closelink applies the correct one based on validity dates and the expected delivery date. Teams can use whichever approach fits how they work.
• Flexible coverage across your fleet A single contract can apply to selected companies within a group, with the ability to exclude specific vessels. A third-party ship manager overseeing vessels for multiple owners, for example, can hold the owners' contracts and their own negotiated agreements separately - and route each enquiry to the right one. If you have newbuilding vessels with special first-fill pricing, those can sit under their own contract without touching your standard supply agreements.
• Full contract lifecycle control Extend, terminate, duplicate, or deactivate contracts as supplier relationships change over time. The platform grows with your procurement setup, not against it.

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Already a Closelink customer?

Your existing price lists have been automatically migrated to contracts - set to apply indefinitely by default, so nothing changes until you choose to update them. We'd recommend reviewing them, renaming for clarity, and adding validity dates where relevant.

Contracts Management is available now. If you have questions or want to understand how it applies to your specific setup, get in touch - we're happy to walk you through it.