We quiz top names on what tech breakthroughs the industry might see in the coming 12 months in the concluding chapter of our shipmanagement magazine.
Digitalisation is no breakthrough anymore, says Tim Ponath, CEO of Germany’s NSB Group, but it has by far not yet reached the end of its effectiveness.
Artificial Intelligence and other technologies have the potential, he says, to streamline processes and collect real-time data on various parameters. Those applications can provide valuable insights into vessel performance, fuel consumption, maintenance scheduling, and route optimisation.
“Implemented and used wisely, these technologies lead to highly efficient and transparent shipmanagement,” Ponath tells Splash.
Manish Singh, CEO of shipping advisory Aboutships, has also been keeping a firm eye on maritime’s adoption of AI.
Vessels can transition towards an application-centric environment
“We are seeing early adopters within maritime sector embrace AI with varying degrees of effectiveness. There, however, seems to be a trend to stick GPT at the end of maritime terms and rush out applications as businesses hurriedly take their seats in the maritime AI theatre,” Singh says. “Often this is happening prematurely, without optimal data architecture and before appropriate policy and resilience frameworks are put in place.”
Setting the scene for the endless possibilities afforded by AI adoption, Vikrant Gusain, the CEO of Dubai-based Dockendale Ship Management, muses, “Imagine a ship where ChatGPT becomes a virtual crewmember, continuously analysing vast datasets, weather patterns, traffic patterns, and navigational hazards. This AI companion not only enhances real-time decision-making but also serves as a tireless assistant, offering insights, suggestions, and predictions that empower the crew to navigate with unparalleled precision.”
Vinay Gupta, managing director of Singapore’s Union Marine Management Services, also wants to talk transparency when quizzed, but he’s coming at the discussion from a slightly different angle.
One of the biggest challenges today for owners, he reckons, is the transparency in terms of the performance of each eco-device that gets fitted and a clear pathway for the owners to choose the right solution in the short term.
“I hope there is a common platform where the success and failure of the devices and experiments are documented and information shared for a common good,” he says.
EU ETS
“The rise of digital continues to be a powerful tool for our industry, from using it to plan more efficient routes to creating decarbonisation plans,” says René Kofod-Olsen, the CEO of V.Group.
“Sustainability and the drive towards decarbonisation are at the forefront of shipowners’ and shipmanagers’ minds,” he says.
Around 80% of reductions in emissions over the next decade will come from optimisation of current assets, Kofod-Olsen reckons.
According to Olav Nortun, chief operating officer at OSM Thome, in the coming 12 months significant technological breakthroughs may reshape the landscape of shipmanagement, particularly in response to regulatory changes such as the inclusion of shipping into the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS).
A huge opportunity for cross-sector optimisation is being missed
“This integration,” he says, “is poised to significantly impact operational costs, prompting a critical need for technologies that enable shipmanagers and owners to operate vessels with reduced emissions.”
In this regard, he sees two key technological areas which will play a pivotal role in driving positive changes within the shipmanagement business. First, advancements in biofuel development are poised to enhance production, availability, usage, and acceptability, Nortun reckons, thereby offering sustainable alternatives for fuel consumption.
“This shift towards biofuels aligns with sustainability goals while addressing regulatory requirements for emissions reduction,” Nortun explains.
Secondly, the integration of advanced voyage management and optimisation tools, supported by AI and machine learning, represents a what Nortun describes as a “significant leap forward” in operational efficiency.
Increased connectivity
Moreover, the evolution of connectivity, exemplified by technologies like Starlink, is expected to revolutionise communication and data exchange onboard vessels, Nortun says, a point of view shared by many other managers polled for this magazine.
“With increased bandwidth availability, vessels can transition towards an application-centric environment, fostering innovation and enhancing operational efficiency,” Nortun says.
Quite so, concurs Angad Banga, chief operating officer at the Caravel Group. “Improved ship-to-shore connectivity will enable better data transmission, leading to informed decision-making,” he says, explaining this will be enhanced by Internet of Things (IoT) technologies like sensors, which will help with proactive maintenance and cost optimisation.
However, with increased connectivity, there is a higher risk of cyber security attacks, Banga warns. To safeguard against this, shipping can expect a rise in protective measures aimed at keeping assets secure from potential threats, Banga says.
“While all these advancements are exciting, challenges such as data standardisation, integration with legacy systems, and regulatory compliance will need to be addressed,” Banga warns, something picked up too by Mark O’Neil, the CEO of Columbia Group.
Challenges such as data standardisation, integration with legacy systems, and regulatory compliance will need to be addressed
Single IT backbone
“If you look at the aviation industry,” O’Neil tells Splash, “they have a single IT backbone provided by SITA. We don’t have a single IT backbone in the maritime sector, nor a single voice.”
Vessels are not able to communicate effectively and digitally with ports, with airports and planes, with haulage and with trains, O’Neil explains.
“A huge opportunity for cross-sector optimisation is being missed,” he says. “I’m confident that maritime IT will find its common IT backbone within the next few months which will render many of the fragmented and non-homogeneous IT systems presently available obsolete in the future.”
It is no secret that the IT industry is currently the main driver of global development. For instance, AI technologies that penetrate virtually all industries and commercial sectors and become the main drivers of their development are now significantly helping to calculate the optimal methods of delivery and sale of goods. ChatGPT, blockchain technology, quantum computing, GreenTech and Deep Tech developments also simplify the project development system and help the process optimisation process. Equally important is the involvement of robotics and AI in the logistics and delivery industry. There are already many companies with varying levels of AI involvement in their operations, sometimes even at the level of packaging and warehousing: wie verpacke ich Reifen für GLS https://dashboard.shipstage.com/faq/article/137-wie-verpacke-ich-reifen-uber-gls-richtig/ Ideas like these help us move faster into the digital future.