Fujitsu and IT solutions provider Kongsberg Digital have announced a new partnership that will leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to “tackle” the problem of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the maritime sector.
The AI-powered Vessel Fuel Optimization (VFO) service, according to Fujitsu, aims to help ship owners and operators reduce fuel costs for large vessels and facilitates compliance with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) upcoming low-sulphur regulations.
As a result of IMO 2020, which will see a mandatory sulphur fuel-cap of 0.5% implemented worldwide, businesses in the maritime industry are facing a major increase in fuel costs, with some estimates suggesting that an additional USD $35 billion could be added to the sector’s expenditure.
Bryan Comer examines the path towards zero-emission shipping in a recent Port Technology technical paper
With the support of their new solution, Fujitsu and Kongsberg Digital will work together to reduce GHG emissions without requiring customers to significantly re-engineer their vessels or invest a significant amount of capital.
VFO is described as a user-friendly solution that is “applicable across a broad range of shipping classes”, generating savings for shippers and putting them on course to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets.
The application, which requires no sensor or software installation and can be use immediately, uses AI to learn ship captains’ strategies and ships’ performances, as well as charting meteorological and hydrographic data on such variables as wind, waves and ocean currents.
By combining all of this data, VFO recommends optimal routes to “maximise energy-efficiency, safety and profitability”, improving planning processes and visibility for shipmasters and onshore managers.
In a statement, the two companies said they will join forces to offer shipping customers digital solutions which will optimize performance… @KOGMaritime @DNVGL #PTIDaily #Shipping #Partnership #Digitizationhttps://t.co/AeOj63YgMn
— Port Technology (PTI) (@PortTechnology) June 5, 2019
Yves de Beauregard, Head of Digital Business Solutions at Fujitsu EMEIA, said: “The shipping industry is about to undergo a global shift to a new fuel, with implications so enormous they have been compared to the change from coal to steam.
“The Fujitsu Vessel Fuel Optimisation service is a quick and straightforward solution that will lead to reduced fuel costs and the ability to maintain profitability, while at the same time contributing to cleaner air and lower greenhouse gas emissions.”
Vigleik Takle, SVP of Maritime Digital Solutions at Kongsberg Digital, also made a statement: “Kongsberg Digital has responded rapidly to the pressure the maritime transport sector faces to comply with new fuel regulations, and to offer customers innovative digital solutions on Kognifai that deliver tangible results now and offer rapid-payback.
“We chose to work with Fujitsu because of the company’s leadership in AI and advanced analytics, as these present valuable new opportunities to improve fleet operating efficiencies by large margins.
“Building on the infrastructure provided by KONGSBERG’s Vessel Insight, the new VFO service is the first solution from a partnership that will expand to address a range of important business outcomes for the maritime industry.”