Partnerships expand IoT for vessel and voyage optimisation

Both partnership announcements highlight the trend in maritime digitalisation for vessel performance and voyage optimisation, and improving data exchange with multiple stakeholders.

KVH has added GreenSteam analytics to its KVH Watch partner programme, enabling vessels with its satellite communications to access performance optimisation solutions.

Performance data from ship operations can be analysed by GreenSteam’s core services after being transferred over KVH Watch’s dedicated Ku-band connectivity.

“This is an excellent opportunity for the maritime sector to capitalise on the exceptional gains made in satellite communications and performance optimisation technology in recent years,” said KVH senior director of IoT business development Sven Brooks.

“The combination of our Watch high-throughput satellite connectivity with GreenSteam’s machine learning solutions can result in operational efficiencies, cost savings, and increased sustainability for fleets,” he explained. “This represents one more way that shipping is benefiting from digitalisation.”

Shipping companies have increased investment in digitalisation technologies, including IoT, high-throughput VSAT communications and machine learning-based analytics to reduce fuel expenditure and maintenance costs.

Connectivity has become increasingly important to get the best results from analytics. Machine-learning solutions need real-time data flow from the vessel, as incremental data transfers limit the accuracy and confidence of the IoT analysis and prediction. With dedicated satellite connectivity, shipowners can capitalise on real-time data analysis to support vessel optimisation throughout the course of a sea voyage. It also aids providers of data analytics.

“The lifeblood of GreenSteam is data volume, however, without the ability to move this data off a ship in a timely manner to enable rapid assessments and responses, its impact is lessened,” said GreenSteam head of business development Daniel Slater.

“As vessels are becoming increasingly sophisticated data generators, this partnership with KVH Watch will enable us to benefit from significant advances in satellite communications by improving the flow of information. This in turn will support shipowners and charterers to make better operational decisions, saving time and money, while reducing emissions,” Mr Slater added.

KVH has added other partners to its Watch service in recent months, including Kongsberg, Kilo Marine, ioCurrents and TMS Maritime Solutions.

• KVH partners with Kilo Marine for IoT and remote response
• KVH and ioCurrents partner for remote monitoring service connectivity
• KVH adds IoT solution and expands coverage

In another agreement, UK-based StratumFive has integrated UK-headquartered Osiris’ advanced port event logging tool, SOFeXchange, into its Podium community of IoT and analytics. Vessel owners using Podium can now use SOFeXchange to enhance their voyage performance through data analysis. Third parties can also use this service to improve their information and knowledge of port calls.

SOFeXchange will connect this data with other stakeholders and commercial systems, increasing its scope and reach within Podium. This could include improving port event monitoring and data validation.

“The addition of SOFeXchange to Podium meets a number of our objectives with respect to solving real day-to-day practical problems with innovative solutions while generating valuable data for longer-term benefit,” said StratumFive chief operating officer Ross Martin.

SOFeXchange simplifies port logs or Statements of Fact (SOF) exchanges with multiple parties. SOF and port logs are often produced in a variety of formats, including PDFs, Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and hand-written documents, complicating information exchange and increasing confusion. With SOFeXchange, masters, captains, and port agents can enter events during a vessel’s docking in port in a standard form, which can be viewed by all relevant parties in real time. Shipowners, charterers and traders can then access the SOF in any format and a final statement is available as soon as the port call is complete.

“For too long the industry has ignored the SOF, despite it being such an important document,” said Osiris chief executive Adrian Challinor. “We believe that with our collaboration with Podium we can bring real improvements and streamline the process,” he said.

StratumFive delivers voyage monitoring services and informatics, including weather information, to more than 13,000 ships.

Vessel and voyage optimisation and IoT connectivity will be discussed in depth during Riviera’s series of webinar weeks and virtual conferences during 2021 - use this link to access the events page and register to these events