A new industry body is to explore issues of collaboration, interoperability and standardisation in the application of technology in the shipping and logistics sector.
Representatives from major maritime technology companies and related industry stakeholders gathered in London on 26 February for the inaugural meeting of the Smart Maritime Council, a new initiative created by the Smart Maritime Network to support collaboration and standardisation in the development of IT systems for the shipping sector.
Building Relationships and Sharing Knowledge
The Smart Maritime Network was formed in January 2019 to promote the benefits of enhanced integration and data sharing among stakeholders within the maritime and transport logistics sectors, providing a platform to inform the industry on technological developments and innovations while providing wider opportunities for relationship building and knowledge sharing.
Smart Maritime Council
A core element of the initiative is the creation of a Smart Maritime Council. This diverse industry membership group includes maritime technology developers, systems integrators and other key stakeholders. Together they will hold a series of meetings to discuss areas of mutually beneficial collaboration on issues relating to the compatibility, standardisation and harmonisation of the technology used in the modern shipping industry.
End-user's Perspective
Vessel operators are also represented within the membership, to provide the end-user’s perspective on maritime technology development and to help guide the Council’s discussions by making sure that shipping companies’ real-world operational requirements play a central role in future IT development.
Regional Conferences
The Smart Maritime Council will hold a further five meetings in 2019 after these initial discussions in London, with each taking place in a different global maritime centre. Conclusions from these meetings on the direction of future technology development, and guidance on improving systems integration, will be shared with the wider maritime industry through a series of four regional conferences to be held throughout the year, beginning in Athens on 9 May.
Founding Members
The founding members of the Smart Maritime Council include:
- ABB
- Ammitec
- Ceragon
- Cobham SATCOM
- Danish Ship Finance
- Dell EMC
- Dualog
- IB – Influencing Business
- Inmarsat
- Intellian
- JLT
- KNL Networks
- Kongsberg
- MSC
- Monohakobi Technology Institute
- Sperry Marine
- Wallem
- Wärtsilä
Picture: Attendees at the first Smart Maritime Council Meeting.
