In the last 12 months, the maritime media headlines regarding AI point to six key applications of AI in maritime. We have previously explored some of these in articles at the start of this series of twelve. This article explores some of the recent developments and headlines and how AI is being used to optimise ship operations in the following areas; Energy Management and Safety and Compliance.
Energy Management
AI is being increasingly applied to ship operations to target fuel savings. Fuel consumption can be reduced by making minor changes in the operation of the vessel, but you need the data and the insight to know when and what to do. AI can help. One example is MMSL, the ship owning arm of Marubeni, which saved a reported $86,000 in fuel in a single year on just one vessel by giving watchkeepers a tool to help identify approaching vessels sooner. According to an article by TradeWinds, the Managing Director of MMSL admitted that the company has been slow to adopt digitalisation and decarbonisation tools, but, since being pushed to invest in modern technologies, it has seen some positive results.
Safety and Compliance
AI can be used to make decisions that help ensure the safe and compliant operation of the vessel. One example is Berlin-based startup Sealenic, which is bringing an exciting new concept to the industry. The company has developed a maritime AI decision-support platform that quickly answers questions a seafarer or ashore team member might have, eliminating the need for them to search through documents to find the right answer. The tool prioritises all data and information specific to that company, as well as public knowledge (such as BIMCO, IMO, EU and State law data) and generates quick, reliable and compliant answers to questions, helping crew make efficient data-based decisions.
The assistant cuts out the noise and large volumes of data and provides concise and targeted information that the user is looking for. For example, a seafarer may wish to find out how often and how they should calibrate the gas analysers. Instead of searching through documents and trying to find the answer, the user can simply ask the assistant. The tool will provide the answer and the source of the information, (for example, ‘Company Manual, Chapter 4, Paragraph 14) allowing the seafarer to rapidly find the original source for further information.
Paramvir Singh, Co-founder and MD of Sealenic explained to Thetius that the idea for the solution arose after seeing how difficult it was for seafarers to make sense of the enormous quantity of data, documents and ever-changing regulations they have to deal with. “Crew members and technical teams have a huge amount of information presented in various ways and they have to search through all of this to find the answer to a specific question. You cannot really process this data in the time you need to.” Sealenic is a tool that consolidates a knowledge layer of the company, allowing the end user to ask any question that relates to their company.
For further insight into the areas highlighted in this article, take a look at our thought leadership report, produced in collaboration with Lloyd’s Register titled, “Beyond the Horizon, Opportunities and Obstacles in the Maritime AI Boom” This report offers an in-depth analysis of the current state of operational AI in the shipping industry, shedding light on the latest trends, groundbreaking developments, and successful implementations. You can download a copy of the report here.
