By Mark Edward Nero
The world has already seen ‘smart’ phones and ‘smart’ watches come into existence – could a ‘smart’ ship be next?
Shipbuilding company Hyundai Heavy Industries is collaborating with technology services company Accenture to design a ‘connected smart ship’ that could enable ship owners to better manage their fleets and achieve potential operational savings through digital technologies.
The connected smart ship is being developed using a combination of Hyundai Heavy Industries’ shipbuilding and manufacturing knowledge and Accenture’s digital and shipping industry experience.
“Through this collaboration with Accenture, our ambition is to lead innovation in ship operations, shipping and the port logistics sector,” said Moon-Kyoon Yoon, the Chief Operating Officer of the Shipbuilding Division of Hyundai Heavy Industries.
Using a network of sensors that would be built into new vessels, ship owners could capture a range of ship voyage information including location, weather, and ocean current data, as well as on-board equipment and cargo status data.
Also, by applying real-time analytics to new and historical fleet data and using data visualization technology to present the insights, Hyundai says, ship owners would be able to monitor their vessels’ status and condition in real-time to make data-driven decisions that support more efficient operations. Services are expected to include real-time alerts and warnings, predictive maintenance and more efficient scheduling.
“Our collaboration with Hyundai Heavy Industries utilizes our digital technology and deep industry experience to enable a traditional products company to adapt its business model, taking advantage of digital technologies like analytics,” Accenture Senior Managing Director Eric Schaeffer said.
Services to be offered to Hyundai Heavy Industries’ customers through the collaboration include administrative and user management services, and device management services to ensure all connected devices can be monitored and maintained remotely.
Hyundai and Accenture have given no timeline regarding when the first ‘smart’ ship could be built.
