Decarbonization with Digitalization

Ships have offered the cheapest and the most versatile mode of transport for centuries. The maritime transport sector has become the backbone of global trade and the global economy. With the 80% volume  and 70% of value of worldwide trade happening over the oceans and contributing to every household and industrial need. The industry remains and attracts the eyes of global leadership when emissions are talked about. IMO is working on strict guidelines and is driving different initiatives to cut down emissions. With digitalization taking over to answer the day to day operation with data backed decision, we are seeing ship management companies and operators are keen on having real time data from ships to have numerous remote services and have data on engine and machinery health.

Digitalisation in maritime industry

With increased use in connected solutions, digital systems, the industry is witnessing the never seen before type of change in terms of digitisation and digital transformation. The maritime industry is catching up with the digitalization and is taking every possible step in managing vessel and day to day operation digitally. Smart shipping & Ship 4.0 are the new common terms that are making rounds in the industry. With connected technologies industry is able to track, monitor real time status of the vessels sailing anywhere in the world oceans. Many businesses overcame the pandemic challenges by quickly adopting these modern technologies. Digital innovative solutions helped shipping companies, charterers to streamline technical and commercial operations. Fleet Management Applications with live & historic data has helped the fleet managers, superintendents to perform their duties in a much more effective ways, taking informed & analysed decisions. Overall it turns out to be a considerable time & cost saving practice to all involved.

Digitalisation and decarbonisation

Digital technologies are transforming every aspect of maritime operations, industry can see if these tech could possibly help address this problem of emission control and reduction. A fleet operator with live monitoring of the fleet can have better insights of the machinery performance, fuel consumption, condition and health of the machinery which can allow him to take calculated steps for the to cut down emissions.

Emissions reporting like IMO DCS and EU MRV , EEXI and CII can all be managed with live data. Digitalization creates  a transparency in the vessel operation & reporting. There can be multiple ways in which digitalization can help in decarbonisation event.

1. Big Data: Both historical and real-time, help solve problems by locating harmful emissions and identifying pressure points in the supply chain. Many sensors on the ship produce and transmit digital information of multiple nature which when analysed and processed with machine learning or algorithms can help to understand, analyse and improve the functioning of the fleet. Analysing this data from the machines directly in real time can help the companies effectively reduce carbon emissions and take a step ahead in containing the emissions from the fleet.
2. Digital twin: is a Remote digital Fleet Monitoring Solution that allows the shore team to realtime performance status of each vessel. AI & ML backed Predictive machinery diagnostics provides cost effective measures for timely spares replacement & maintenance service. EEOI, EEXI & CII calculation and projection through digital dashboard enables to monitor Emission levels and take corrective actions. This Analytics provided on fuel consumption, shaft performance, scrubber, voyage report, technical reports assist in better vessel performance, resulting in lesser emissions.
3. Artificial Intelligence: and use of algorithms can help the shore team and the management perform tasks with ease and improve operational efficiency. Historical data base gives insights of the vessels performance on demand and these trendlines can be set for optimum performance of the fleet and every machinery on the vessel which allows the user to consider the fuel consumption and oil consumption and have emissions readily available with them.  Such observations can provide great efficiency and safety to the user making the process streamline and lower the emissions and or take the right measures to comply with IMO’s emission policies. Artificial intelligence can give advisories to the crew and the shore team based on the fuel consumption patterns for optimising energy consumption and ensuring the greater efficiency of the energy, leading  to the lesser fuel burnout and reduction in emissions in the voyage.
4. Edge Computing :can assist the shore staff with faster calculations of the machine data, fuel consumption patterns. This can help shore team in having real time data for decision making in case of anomaly. Such an environment of digitalisation would allow the sailing, non-sailing staff and the management to be connected with the ships on a single click. Such an effort would eventually help in tracking, monitoring and calculating the emissions and taking precautionary steps based on the data received in real time. Management will have real time access to the advisory in case of maintenance need to be carried to reduce emissions, or install any energy saving equipment’s. Additionally, assistance on monitoring the performance in real time, optimise fuel oil consumption, reduce carbon emissions. This would not only improve vessel performance monitoring but also help in optimizing fuel oil consumption and reducing CO2 emissions. Edge computing and data analysis and modelling in can assist real-time diagnosis and on-board predictions

Adopting Maritime 4.0 for the sector that aims to digitalize systems and help automate the shipping industry.  With use of cloud and cyber-based network structure systems the companies can optimise maritime operations. The adoption of Maritime 4.0 could be through autonomous ships or smart ships. These ships would be able to monitor their own health, report anomaly live, communicate real time status, to create situational awareness for decision making based on the  information received.