As a global industry, cargo shipping is beginning to utilise cloud computing as a way of boosting communications, operations and collaboration with workers around the world, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Ports have also seen developments in cloud-based solutions. One of PTI’s previous articles looked at ARL Shipping’s ‘Crane Executor’ app – a cloud based solution for improving container discharge and load operations at ports and terminals.
Peter Jackson, Director of Products and Technology at Seaspan, said: “The real benefits for us have been this worldwide accessibility and the ability to work in a single program where we are able to store huge amounts of data.”
Smart-phone manufacturer BlackBerry has recently announced plans to launch an ‘Internet of Things’ platform to enable shippers to boost business growth through hardware, and software, that will be used for cloud-based communications boxes within shipping containers.
There is also talks of container ships holding the key to forming a global ‘quantum network’ through the process of data transfer between ships. This could potentially provide a secure network for sending and receiving data across long distances.
