The Columbia Group, a specialist in ship management, and the IT company Insight have entered into a strategic partnership. The aim of the agreement, which is effective immediately, is to drive forward the digital transformation of the maritime industry. The central platform for this will be SmartSea.
“This partnership marks an important milestone in our transformation process,” said Adrian Gregory, President EMEA at Insight. By combining Insight’s technology leadership with Columbia Group ‘s maritime experience and SmartSea’s vision for the digitalization of the maritime industry, we now have access to scalable, secure and maritime AI and digital services that improve operational efficiency and resilience.”
According to Insight, the collaboration will combine the company’s technological innovation with Columbia Group’s 40+ years of experience in a “new, unified service model”. Maritime customers will be able to access digital services via the central SmartSea platform. These include cloud infrastructure, cyber security, data and AI solutions as well as digital workplace technologies – tailored to the specific requirements of maritime operations on board and ashore.
“We are excited to partner with Insight to bring next-generation IT and OT solutions onboard our managed fleet and across the maritime industry,” said Columbia President Mark O’Neil. “This partnership allows us to provide unparalleled services to our customers and drive innovation in the industry.”
Kris Vedat, recently appointed CEO of SmartSea, commented: “We are excited about the opportunities that the transformative partnership between Insight and Columbia Group brings. This collaboration will drive innovation and deliver significant value to our customers.”
