CIMAC Digitalization Strategy Group Publishes New Position Paper

[By: CIMAC]

Digitalization provides the opportunity to generate optimized technical solutions based on highly integrated intelligent systems. While such solutions have already been realized in several industries such as automotive and aerospace, they are implemented only slowly in the maritime industry. For this very reason, the CIMAC Digitalization Strategy Group has now published a new Position Paper entitled “On enabling the implementation of a ship-wide data ecosystem”. It aims to identify ways in which the potential of digitalization can be fully exploited for process optimization, develops a vision, and provides recommendations. 

“The full technical potential of highly integrated, optimized technical solutions that support the reduction of operational costs, identification of hazards, and better transparency on environmental performance is currently not exploited. That needs to change” says Dominik Schneiter (WinGD), Chair of the Digitalization Strategy Group. The Position Paper reflects the intense discussions within the Digitalization Strategy Group and the alignment made. It went through a feedback process that has taken place over the past 2 years, including peer reviews at the CIMAC Circle at SMM in Hamburg, at the panel discussion in Busan during the CIMAC Congress in 2023, and at the digitalization reception during London International Shipping Week. It also takes into account the EU regulation on harmonized rules for fair access to and use of data, known as the Data Act, which came into force in January 2024.

Eero Lehtovaara (ABB Marine and Ports), VP Digitalization, explains: “Integrated data ecosystems have an untapped potential to optimize the efficiency of ship operations. You can only improve what you can measure. Without data exchange, the overall system cannot be optimized. We would like to encourage the maritime industry to embrace digitalization and implement it more quickly.”  CIMAC’s Vice-President Communication Christoph Rofka (Accelleron) concludes: “We look forward to a lively dialogue with the entire industry and see the paper as the starting point for a common path.”

The CIMAC Digitalization Strategy Group consists of representatives from engine manufacturers, component suppliers, engineering companies, classification societies, system integration solution providers, and universities. The Position Paper “On enabling the implementation of a ship-wide data ecosystem” can be downloaded here.