According to engine manufacturers, digitalisation is only being implemented slowly in the maritime industry. A new position paper from the industry association Cimac aims to show ways in which the potential can be better exploited.
According to the association, digitalisation offers the opportunity to develop optimised technical solutions based on highly integrated intelligent systems. While such solutions have already been implemented in some sectors, such as the automotive and aviation industries, they are only being implemented slowly in the maritime industry,[ds_preview].
However, the industry is not prepared to accept this. To change this, the Cimac Digitalisation Strategy Group has published a new position paper entitled “On enabling the implementation of a ship-wide data ecosystem.” It aims to show “how the potential of digitalisation for process optimisation can be fully exploited, develop a vision, and make recommendations.”
“The full technical potential of highly integrated, optimised technical solutions that support the reduction of operating costs, identification of hazards and better transparency of environmental performance is currently not being exploited. This needs to change,” says Dominik Schneiter from Swiss engine developer WinGD, Chairman of the Digitalization Strategy Group.
The position paper reflects the reportedly “intensive discussions” within the Digitalisation Strategy Group and the adjustments made. It went through a feedback process that took place over the last two years, including peer reviews at the Cimac Circle at SMM in Hamburg, at the panel discussion in Busan during the Cimac Congress 2023 and at the Digitalisation Reception during London International Shipping Week. It also takes into account the EU regulation on harmonised rules for fair access to and use of data, known as the Data Act, which comes into force in January 2024.
Starting point for a common path to digitalisation
Eero Lehtovaara (ABB Marine and Ports), VP Digitalisation, explained: “Integrated data ecosystems have untapped potential to optimise the efficiency of ship operations. You can only improve what you can measure. Without data exchange, the overall system cannot be optimised. We want to encourage the maritime industry to embrace digitalisation and implement it faster.” Christoph Rofka from Accelleron, Vice President of Communications at Cimac, emphasised that they are looking forward to “a lively dialogue with the entire industry”. He sees the new paper as a starting point for a common path.”
The CIMAC Digitalisation Strategy Group consists of representatives from engine manufacturers, suppliers, engineering firms, classification societies, providers of system integration solutions and universities.
