Maritime leaders are calling on the industry to adopt new technology as a way to capitalise on opportunities and navigate today's increasingly complex operating environment, according to new survey data released by Sea Asia in the lead up to Sea Asia 2017.
94% of the leaders surveyed believe that it is time for the industry to make the move towards smart shipping while another 81% recognise the importance of Big Data to the future of the shipping and maritime industry.
Leaders surveyed also highlighted that new technological developments are crucial in helping industry players transform the way their businesses operate sustainably.
Trends highlighted in the survey will form part of the discussions that will take place at Sea Asia in April 2017.
Technical Paper: Big Data – The Revolution
Andreas Sohmen-Pao, Chairman of BW Group and the Singapore Maritime Foundation, said: “The global economic, political and technological environment is changing, and the maritime industry needs to change with it. As we look for ways to adapt our business model, forums like Sea Asia provide a good opportunity to exchange ideas and find new solutions.”
Douglas Hsu, Chairman of Taiwan's U-Ming Marine Transport Corp, said: “A small number of industry players are shifting towards smart shipping. However, with technology developing at a fast pace today, it is important that the industry adapts quickly. To encourage this shift, industry players need to realise the benefits of welcoming technological changes in the industry.”
In Singapore, the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore's Maritime Innovation & Technology (MINT) Fund has been enhanced to include the MINT-PD (Product/Solution Development) scheme.
This scheme supports up to 50% of qualifying costs for projects that seek to develop technology products or solutions for the maritime industry.
Khalid Hashim, Managing Director of Precious Shipping, said: “Smart technologies in shipping will help optimise ship operations and improve ship-to-shore communications and vice versa. For example, new technologies can better enable the communication of loading and discharging schedules, and more importantly, giving crew members the opportunity to stay in touch with their loved ones on shore.”
Industry leaders also commented on the importance of harnessing Big Data.
Feature: The Rise of Big Data in Ports and Terminals
Mr Hashim said: “The collection of Big Data is important in helping ship owners evaluate the performance of their vessels. By utilising the data collected in areas like machinery parameters, fuel consumption and vessel speed, ship owners can then look into how they optimise further the capabilities of their vessels.”
In Indonesia, the government is bringing together data from 24 ports to monitor performance and ultimately reduce waiting time for ships and cargo. This data will also allow ship owners to monitor their containers in real time, enabling them to see if they have arrived safely and on time to destination ports.
In Singapore, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) is collaborating with leading IT company, IBM, to create a unified platform which will integrate real-time data and provide a consistent view of data points across MPA. This platform will collect information such as vessel positioning and weather data.
Chris Hayman, Chairman of Seatrade, said: “Technological developments in maritime, smart shipping and the utilisation of Big Data will be one of the topics of discussion at Sea Asia 2017.
“Maritime leaders will be debating with one another, as well as experts in the technology field, the benefits of smart shipping and Big Data and exploring opportunities on how best to leverage these new trends with others in the maritime sector.”
