The concept of Smart Ships goes beyond having zero-emission vessels and clean power solutions. From an objective look, smart ships must have innovative technologies onboard that supports real-time communication and collaboration when an unforeseen event threatens the vessel’s safety, crew, and cargo. The operators of this new generation of ships must adopt innovative methods that enhance incident readiness to operate efficiently and profitably during times of crisis.

Cloud services are essential features to support onboard vessel operations (check this article for in-depth information). By utilizing advanced technology (cloud computing, cloud storage, cloud crisis management, etc.), information about the incident can be easily shared, and relevant external stakeholders can be alerted to dangers.

The investment in a wireless network has become more affordable for ship owners, allowing the ability to install and use Critical event management “CEM” platforms with minimal complications. This upgrade enables operators to perform daily routines with the ease of automation. Taking away the need for pen and paper, whiteboards, the stress of lost or missed information, etc. Communication is made easier and quicker through the implementation of modern technology and cloud-based platforms.

It is without a doubt the future of the maritime industry to adopt more technology! Even though the naval sector has made great strides in automating, it is still moving slowly. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this transformation; thus, ports have become increasingly interested in automating and digitizing their systems to manage and control shipping events. Operators must, therefore, equip themselves with the necessary skills and technologies to deal with potential critical events and have the ability to facilitate the efficient movement of goods, delivery services and have smoother communication to ease decision-making without the burden of paperwork.

The recent disruption by the pandemic has shifted the focus of maritime logistics prioritizing resilience over efficiency. As a result, it has increased the value of automated crisis management software, which guarantees to build a collaborative strength for the maritime industry.

Automation and advanced technologies such as AI, IoT, and SaaS are already among the core changes in the maritime and shipping sector. Still, the COVID-19 pandemic allowed these technologies to prove their efficacy regarding their resilient performance and cost-effectiveness.

According to this study by industry analysts IDC in 2020, more than one-third of the maritime and shipping companies saw their data volumes increase by more than 50% per year. It has become more challenging for many industry participants to manually extract the total value from their data, especially in critical times. 

This pandemic highlighted the need for techniques that facilitate immediate emergency response, allow for easy data retrieval in an exchange of manual or old-fashioned methods. Tools such as emails and notepads are no longer the best way to communicate as they are prone to data loss and error. Time to put the '90s behind us!