Digitalization will transform the maritime industry from an asset operator to a data-rich service orchestrator. It is possible to take this first step in your digitalization journey by assessing your current digital maturity, bottlenecks and goals, and develop a digitalization roadmap tailored to your port.
Digitalization - solution to reach IMO emission targets
The IMO aims to reduce the total annual GHG emissions by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008. (IMO official website) This is a monumental task considering the growth in demand for maritime transport, forecasted to increase by 60 % by 2050 (DNV Maritime forecast to 2050, 2017). The transition from traditional fossil fuels to alternative fuels, renewable sources of energy, and propulsion technologies is inherently slow due to the fleet life cycle. In light of the increased demand and challenges to adopting alternative fuels, how do we as the maritime industry reach the IMO targets? Digitalization and voyage optimization is a parallel and transition solution in obtaining the IMO GHG targets.
Digital transformation and data enable optimizing vessels’ operational and energy efficiency. It significantly improves the exchange of information between different actors. In turn, the collection and sharing of digital data optimize the operations in port and the whole maritime supply chain. Digitalization will transform the maritime industry from an asset operator to a data-rich service orchestrator. New services, business models, and untapped value will emerge from the “Seven Seas”(Berg, D et al. 2015).
Maritime industry is slow to adopt digital solutions. Why and how can we address this?
We realize that the novelty of digital solutions, complex port environments, lack of technical knowledge, and unwillingness to share data are key challenges in adopting digitalization. To address this challenge, Awake.AI has developed solutions to simplify adopting digital solutions and progressing in the digital transformation journey, regardless of the digital maturity of the stakeholder.
The first step in adopting digitalization, capturing the value thereof, and reaching IMO targets is through developing a clear “digitalization roadmap”. It is possible to take this first step in your digitalization journey by assessing your current digital maturity, bottlenecks and goals, and develop a digitalization roadmap tailored to your port.
Four main milestones in digitalization journey
Within a digitalization roadmap, there are four milestones and pillars that we have identified. Awake’s digital solutions enable maritime actors to reach these milestones. They are:
• Collaboration and transparency
• Optimization and digital services
• Process and service automation
• Autonomous operations
Collaboration & transparency - situational awareness
One of the first and foundational elements in any port digitalization journey is improved collaboration between port stakeholders. In this step, digitalization is simply creating a better network to connect what is already there and enhance communication fluidity, transparency, situational awareness, and improve decision-making - connecting both people and systems. The movement of information and communication alongside cargo movements on a singular platform is enabled. Decision-making is more collaborative and transitions from scattered communication mediums such as phone, person to person, paper, excel, email, and fax to a singular decision-making platform.
Awake’s data platform and Smart Port as a Service ™ web and mobile application are the foundational solutions to address communication, collaboration, transparency and interoperability. With a cloud infrastructure in place and an application to enhance collaboration, it is possible to progress to the next milestone - optimization and digital service development.
Optimization & digital services - situational understanding and projection
Optimization and digital services development are the next milestones in a port’s journey to reaching IMO targets and autonomous operations. Optimization is the act of making the best or most effective use of a situation or resource - one of the foundation elements that is required for this is data. We first aim to optimize operations and services within the port environment before expanding into the larger supply chain. With a cloud data infrastructure and environment in place, communication and data transacted on the cloud are collected, analyzed, and, through analytics, transform port data into actionable insights making ports more profitable, responsive and productive - in short, optimizing the port. AI-driven berth planning and yard management become possible.
With the microenvironment optimized (within the port), it is possible to expand the optimization throughout the supply chain. A scalable and flexible cloud infrastructure with API’s and connectors make it possible to integrate land and sea stakeholders. Land, port and sea can now talk to each other in a connected and singular environment. For example, a ship-to-shore interface and landside system integrations enable optimized sailing speeds, virtual arrival, and Just-In-Time operations. We understand that external integrations can be complex and technical, and therefore Awake’s analytics solutions, in parallel, act as a transitional solution. Our AI-enhanced ETA prediction service transforms external data sets such as global AIS, weather and terrestrial data to provide ports with up to 80% more accurate ETA predictions and offer seaside visibility where there are no ship-to-shore integrations.
In addition to optimization, the new data environment and platform create opportunities for new service development. The port is now an information hub and service orchestrator with superior customer service and consumer centricity. It provides an ecosystem for innovative new services such as “Track and Trace” applications and other digital services. Those that have not reached this milestone will lose to those who have.
We aim to deliver tailored solutions relevant to our client's digital maturity throughout the port’s digital journey. We do not see ourselves as a services provider but rather as a digitalization partner. We would love to set up a one-on-one consultation with you to learn where you are in your digitalization journey and sketch out a digitalization roadmap.
In the next blog post, we will further explore process/service automation and autonomous operations.
We are here to help you!
If you are interested to learn more and see how Awake.AI could help in your journey towards digitalization, contact us for more information.
Reference List
Offical IMO website - IMO website
DNV GL 2017. Maritime Forecast to 2050
Berg, D., & Hauer, M. 2015. Digitalisation in shipping and logistics. Asia Insurance Review 52.