Cruise & Ferry Review - Autumn/Winter 2020

DATA Digital wins for the passenger sector Connectivity solutions need to be able to leverage huge quantities of data, both for operations and crew communications I nmarsat’s data solutions are increasingly being harnessed to support diverse aspects of vessel performance, such as how the captain is sailing the route, how the ship approaches the dock, or where acceleration occurs. Onboard software then offers advice on potential improvements. “Operations data coming from the machine itself (engines, bridge, etc.) helps us understand the health of a vessel,” says Marco Cristoforo Camporeale, Inmarsat’s head of maritime digital. “Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress platform is completely agnostic and provides an interface with the system onboard, without interrupting operations. We store data safely on behalf of the shipowner, offering a fully managed service in a completely secure, segregated environment, with no interaction onboard the vessel.” Inmarsat partners with Certified Application Providers (CAPs), helping operators exploit vessel data to improve operations, maintenance of machinery and more. “If we have the consent of a shipowner we can offer a window on this data,” says Camporeale. But an Inmarsat report revealed that 50 per cent of ship managers found it difficult to take data out of the vessel. Camporeale says: “This is where we see the key value of Inmarsat right now. We see ourselves as an enabler, a booster of digitalisation.” Using the company’s Fleet Data solution, shipowners can try out different applications without ever needing to bring the provider onboard. “There is no distraction, no proliferation of different IT gateways, and the data is safely stored,” says Camporeale. “In a few hours, the app provider is already able to show data. It’s an easy way of accelerating digitalisation. We are leveraging connectivity, getting shipowners closer to app providers. Both sides love not having to get people on and off the ship.” Inmarsat’s Fleet Connect solution allows original equipment manufacturers to offer customers service level agreements based on performance. “To do that, they need a continual stream of data from their machinery so they can perform analytics on its condition and undertake preventative diagnostics. This helps ensure that the ship or engine doesn’t have a computer breakdown. “Fleet Connect exploits one of the core capabilities of Fleet Xpress, using a dedicated separate bandwidth pipe. For example, if an engine maker wants the possibility to offer a service level agreement, a stream of data comes from the vessel with no disruption to operations. We also offer the opportunity for application providers to host their applications onboard the vessel, with a specific amount of storage.” CAP partners such as ABB and NAPA allow ship managers to explore completely new propositions. “We are selecting and curating the application providers we really want to push, looking beyond saving fuel to savings in the entire chain of operations.” CFR “We see ourselves as an enabler, a booster of digitalisation” Data can inform decisions on operational efficiency, weather routing, fuel consumption and more 1 1 4