Emissions from shipping can be cut and money saved through real-time data analysis, said experts during Riviera Maritime Media’s The real-time revolution for bulk carrier port calls webinar
The experts discussed how real-time information gives bulk carrier operators opportunities to lower emissions and operational expenditure through slow steaming and optimal arrival at ports.
TrimSail Digital Solutions founder and chief executive Capt Sivaraman Krishnamurthi said real-time data and information sharing means operators can ensure they arrive at terminals when there is space available. Data streaming and analysis improves voyage efficiency as operators can select speed and fuel consumption to match operating and metocean conditions.
“Operators should look at optimised arrival, using the least fuel and becoming most efficient,” said Capt Krishnamurthi. “Ships can be sailed on steady speeds to meet port call times… operators can adjust vessel speed to meet just-in-time port calls.”
The webinar audience agreed fuel consumption and emissions can be lowered through slow steaming.
In a poll question, 67% of attendees agreed total carbon emissions for a voyage can be reduced by steaming slower to reach a port just in time to berth, versus 15% who disagreed and 18% who were not sure.
There are significant challenges for bulk carrier operators, such as the type of data needed and poor information sharing between terminals and ships.
Capt Krishnamurthi said operators need “volume, veracity, velocity and variety of data” from ship telemetry and processing methods for “analysis of ship performance”. He suggested operators should capture operational, metocean and machinery condition data using internet of things (IoT) technologies.
“High bandwidth over satellite provides the volume and IoT ensures the veracity and velocity,” said Capt Krishnamurthi. He said data can then be used to generate digital twins and hydrodynamic models of bulk carriers for analysis. “Then real-time weather and ocean current data is needed to meet port call times,” he added.
Data could then be used to improve voyage performance, navigational safety and for predictive and preventative maintenance and cargo transfer operations.
He said data should be streamed from onboard sensors every minute and stored on ships for onward transfer to shore. “We store data on board, it does not need to be forwarded every minute, but should be transferred every four hours for processing in the cloud,” said Capt Krishnamurthi.
Through better information sharing between ship and shore, more operations and cargoes can be tracked, and value generated for stakeholders. “The key is transparency of the data and information on expected arrival times,” he continued. “It means operators can track ships and shipments, and data can be processed to create value.”
It would also promote collaboration to reduce bulk shipping’s environmental impact.
Capt Krishnamurthi said information gleaned from data sharing is precious and considered valuable. “Data is the new oil, but it needs processing and refining properly,” he said.
Webinar delegates were asked in a poll, What is the biggest factor inhibiting ship-shore collaboration? 40% said significant time and manpower resources are spent on manual yet essential tasks, both in the vessel and at the office.
36% thought more training is needed to upskill employees in effective communication and collaboration techniques and the remaining 24% thought it was pushback and resistance in adopting new technologies by internal stakeholders.
In another poll they were asked, What will have the most immediate positive impact on ship-shore collaboration? 40% replied training designed to help teams collaborate more effectively, 33% voted for freeing up staff’s time to focus on higher-level, more strategic collaboration tasks instead of manual work and 27% for top-down mandate and directives to get organisation-wide buy-in on new systems which complement collaboration efforts and effectiveness.
Sansan regional chief executive Edward Senju said ship operators can invest in software with databases and cloud resources to digitalise paperwork processes.
This will “help reduce workloads so operators can focus on communications and operating vessels to improve safety,” he said. “It will help operators on the office side by using digital products for contact information and invoice processing.”
Sansan provides a contact management solution for digitalising business cards. This uses imagery of business cards and other sources of contacts information which are converted into data for a cloud-based database.
The company also offers Bill One, an invoice management solution, where paper invoices are scanned and digitised. This information is used for automatic workflows to reduce time. “We offer ways for operators to change step by step,” said Mr Senju. “We change physical paper into digital assets, with data in the cloud. We use encryption to keep data safe.”
In another poll question, webinar attendees were asked, How important is marine domain expertise for the design and development of digital solutions for energy optimisation?
Of those responding, 45% thought it was very important and 26% voted for important. Another 19% said other segments are more advanced, so shipping can learn more from them, 7% voted thought these skills are transferable and 3% thought it was irrelevant.
In another poll, attendees were asked if they thought there was conflict between a ship’s operational efficiency and energy efficiency. Of those respondents, 57% thought there was conflict, 35% said there was not and 8% were unsure.
On Riviera’s The real-time revolution for bulk carrier port calls webinar panel were (left to right) TrimSail Digital Solutions founder and chief executive Capt Sivaraman Krishnamurthi and Sansan regional chief executive Edward Senju. This was held on 22 September as part of Riviera’s Bulk Carrier Webinar Week, supported by Intercargo
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