We all love boats. From a kayak to a container ship, there's just something great about being on the water. We also all love receiving our goods quickly, cheaply and with minimal environmental impact.
Therefore, I'm sure we can all agree that improving efficiency within the maritime shipping industry can only be a good thing. As is true with many other industries, data is the key to unlocking a clean and efficient future. After all, it is very difficult to improve something that you can't see.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Indeed, the best way to improve the overall efficiency of the maritime shipping industry is to implement universal changes to the entire maritime shipping industry.
As it stands, the shipping industry is still quite opaque with its data, although things are improving. In the past, it was assumed that a company's ability to compete would be hampered by sharing their data. However, as time has gone on, this argument has begun to hold less water. For example, the recent inclusion of the maritime industry into the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) now requires shipping companies to adhere to, buy or trade CO2 allowances for all large ships entering EU ports, regardless of the flag they fly. This, of course, means that the relevant emissions data must be collected and shared in order to satisfy these requirements.
Furthermore, to properly meet environmental and emissions targets, collaboration is key, both within the maritime sector and beyond. Once the data is high enough quality and readily available, it will then be possible to effectively work together to optimise and de-carbonise the entire global trading ecosystem.
WHAT CAN I DO?
As an innovative individual, who probably isn't in full control of global trade, you might be stuck wondering about what you can do to help. Well, here are some angles which we think might be particularly in need of innovation.
Continuous monitoring systems
Continuous monitoring systems can allow the user to collect much more data (which is always a good thing), more accurately determine vessel speed (for example via the measurement of fuel consumption or speed relative to the water, instead of just using GPS), and maybe even to help to diagnose maintenance issues sooner. Perhaps even better than this, is that the more accurate and useful data that is collected, the more possibilities for other system improvements can be revealed.
Hydrographic data collection systems
By this, we of course mean systems and software designed to study and monitor the physics of the marine environment. By providing these measurements with greater accuracy, the physics can be accounted for more intentionally, which could help to provide new opportunities, such as accessing more existing ports with larger vessels (leading to less ship being needed per item and making my RC boat purchases even cheaper).
Optimisation software
By helping to predict, control and maintain systems more quickly and efficiently than before, it is possible to generate very significant savings over the long run. Even small improvements taken over the course of a single ship's operational lifetime can have a gigantic impact on its overall carbon footprint and cost to run. We are certain that improving data collection techniques as discussed above will reveal many opportunities for system optimisation.
Human behaviour engineering
In 2022, behavioural science software wizards Signol and ship management company Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement Deutschland (BSMD) teamed up to run a four-month pilot test to use behavioural science to encourage the Masters and Chief Engineers aboard BSMD vessels to reduce their carbon emissions. The pilot was a fantastic success, with nearly 14,000 tonnes of CO2 being saved, which is the equivalent of around $3,000,000 worth of fuel costs, in just four months!
This pilot has opened the doors to reveal just how many changes are possible. It is clear that there will be many opportunities to develop this practice, and perhaps to innovate techniques which integrate these behavioural science techniques with more traditional system management programs.
When inventing in the software field, it is important to consider the software patent exclusion which is in place in many countries around the world (the UK included). The software patent exclusion, put simply, prevents a patent being granted for a computer program as is. That is, a program which cannot be shown to have a technical effect outside the computer (to find out more about the details of this exclusion, please refer to our dedicated article here).
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