Joanna James
In a revolutionary era where change is inevitable, ongoing innovative developments in the maritime and shipping industry come as no surprise. Recent profound trends which incorporate cutting-edge technological advancements that hold the promise of a sustainable future have definitively reshaped the maritime world.
Ports are making upgrades to accommodate bigger ships every year by deepening harbours and increasing the size of their cranes. Since many logistical challenges are being overcome through automation, physically incrementing the size of ships is no longer a practical issue. The key advantage of making container ships larger is that more cargo can be transported with a lower transportation cost. Due to the improved cost-efficiency, the number of clients increases and this boosts the economy of the shipping industry.
Technological strides in big data analytics have significantly enhanced performance in port operations. The availability of data on cargo management, accidents and weather has enabled shipping companies to make informed business decisions. In addition, digital sensors are being engaged to measure the efficiency of vital ship components like engines, propellers and pumps. By analyzing this data, maintenance needs are predicted proactively, thereby minimizing expenses. IoT sensors are also used to deliver real-time updates on cargo location, temperature, humidity and other environmental parameters.
With major climate changes happening in all corners of the globe, the maritime industry has increasingly adopted sustainable practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution. For example, a Container Terminal Operator in the Port of Colombo, South Asia Gateway Terminals, has converted rubber tyred gantry cranes (RTG) to hybrid technology and reforested a one-acre rainforest as part of its sustainability strategy. A major leap in green initiatives adopted by the maritime industry is its transition to alternative energy sources such as biofuels, LNG, electric power and hydrogen.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) approved Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship (MASS) trials in 2019. Remote-controlled unmanned autonomous vessels have emerged as a result of recent developments in sensor technology and data analytics. These vessels can slash logistical costs in half, leading to major changes in business shipping. Autonomous ships pave the way for a more efficient future in maritime logistics since they can also be designed for harsh work environments such as mining and gas operations.
Blockchain is a digital ledger technology which guarantees transparency and traceability of goods in the supply chain management process. Mitigating the risks of both human error and fraud, this innovation streamlines processes by overcoming processing costs and delays. With minimized paperwork, smart contracts can efficiently facilitate automated and secure transactions. Any attempt at data manipulation can be detected swiftly with blockchain technology since data is logically recorded in blocks of a digital ledger where dissimilarities can be immediately identified.
As container shipping embraces digitalization and automation, there is also more room for an increased amount of cyberattacks. To mitigate this risk, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have been deployed for the rapid detection of abnormal network patterns which could turn out to be potential threats. More emphasis has been placed on training the shipping crew to identify and prevent phishing attacks from happening. Further, the maritime industry has started collaborating with port authorities, governments and shipping companies to share intelligence on emerging threats in order to develop unified security strategies.
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