In maritime digitalization, the pace of change has accelerated dramatically, with 2024–2025 marking a decisive turning point.
In this episode of HANSA.newscast, I speak with Joy Basu, CEO of Smart Ship Hub, about the shift from isolated digital tools to integrated maritime platforms.
Joy explains that the last twelve months have brought more change than the previous several years combined. Mergers, acquisitions, and significant investments by major industry players are reshaping the sector’s data infrastructure. Companies now leading the development curve are those building large-scale digital capabilities: cloud infrastructure, GPU processing power, high-frequency sensor integration, and the analytical expertise required to turn data into operational intelligence.
A central theme is the move from stand-alone solutions toward unified platforms supporting entire operational workflows. Joy argues that corporate users increasingly seek consolidated systems that integrate vessel performance, decarbonization metrics, condition monitoring, AI-driven diagnostics, and legacy-to-smart transitions. Cost is no longer the primary barrier: technologies that sold for USD 280,000 per ship only three years ago are now available for under USD 10,000, making adoption feasible even for smaller operators.
Smart Ship Hub positions itself within this landscape as a single platform capable of capturing high-frequency machinery data, integrating navigation and operational signals, automating reporting, and enabling ship-to-shore and eventually ship-to-ship data flows. Joy describes the vessel as a “floating factory” with finite resources, where quantified outcomes in cost, time, efficiency, maintenance, and carbon footprint must be transparent and measurable.
The discussion also covers regional dynamics. Smart Ship Hub has built strong positions in Japan, Singapore, and India, with growing traction in Europe. The company operates without a traditional sales team, relying instead on customer success and demonstrated operational value.
In closing, Joy offers a candid reflection on entrepreneurship, calling it demanding and often requiring personal sacrifice, while pointing to the next generation of founders and the disruptive role artificial intelligence will play across the maritime sector.
