Print Friendly, PDF & Email

The maritime industry may be more advanced in adopting the analytic, management and operational tools available via the Internet of Things (IoT) than many have supposed

Findings of a research commissioned by Inmarsat suggest that regulatory factors are playing a central role in maritime uptake, with[ds_preview] the need to monitor emissions as key driver, but that a distinct group of owners are seeing IoT-based solutions as the gateway to a more efficient maritime industry.

The »Industrial IoT: land and sea« report is based on 750 interviews by researchers at Vanson Bourne exploring the use of IoT-based solutions in the supply chain, among respondents in maritime, transport and logistics, energy, mining and agriculture. It offers insights into prevailing commitments and attitudes towards IoT-based solutions in the supply chain, with its maritime part allowing 125 respondents (92 from shipping and 33 fishing) to speak for themselves. Respondents came from companies owning a mix of vessel numbers across a full range of types. Owners from Greece made up the largest constituent (25), followed by Japan (20) and Germany (15); container ships represented the largest commercial ship type, with vessels otherwise split among tankers, bulk carriers and offshore vessels.

Maritime respondents expect average expenditure per business on IoT-based solutions will amount to 2.5 mill. $ over the next three years. While this is less than the figure established for the logistics sector, it puts maritime significantly ahead of average spend projected by respondents in the energy, agriculture and mining sectors. Maritime respondents also intend to invest a larger share of their IT budgets (7.8%) in IoT-based solutions than in any other »next generation« technology.

Owners show themselves as upholding the industry’s decade-long fixation with costs. While 51% say that revenue generation does not figure in considerations, 75% have realised, or expect to realise savings using the IoT. Route optimisation is typical and is identified by 57% as in use or on trial.

Regulation is providing a strong prompt for adoption. In line with global fuel sulphur limits from 2020, the IMO target to halve ship CO2 by 2050 and EU MRV for fuel use, 65% already use IoT solutions to monitor consumption. 9% will do so within a year, with deployment projected as reaching 100% by 2023.

Maritime respondents also exhibit a marked ambivalence towards IoT-based solutions that is unique to the sector: enthusiasm in some quarters is tempered, in that the industry is also home to the largest group of IoT »laggards« (over 25% of respondents). While 33% of maritime respondents believe that IoT solutions will bring 10–20% savings within five years, 14% believe there will be no savings at all.

Direct operational savings are not the only ones available from deploying IoT-based solutions in the maritime sector. Cutting marine insurance premiums is cited by 70% of respondents as one of the most important drivers for adoption. The finding is especially interesting, given that the industry self-selects as a »laggard« when it comes to taking steps to remedy its cybersecurity shortcomings.

When it comes to their cyber vulnerabilities, respondents are more concerned about data storage methods (55%), network security (50%) and potential mishandling of data (44%) than they are about targeted attacks (39%), but only 37% report initiatives to improve security training, with just 25% are working on new IoT security policies.

The industry’s lack of cyber preparedness raises a deeper malaise over more full-blooded commitment to IoT-based solutions in some quarters: the industry’s lack of decision-making skills is the most frequently cited impediment to uptake (56%). Maritime also identifies itself as behind the curve when it comes to planning skills, where 42% of respondents believe their organisations would benefit from additional skills against a figure for all respondents expected to amount to 37%.

A different frustration appears to be thwarting ambitions among those already fully engaged in IoT. 51% cited the time lag between data collection and its availability as an obstacle blocking their optimisation of IoT-based solutions: this was 11% ahead of any other explanation. This is despite the finding that only 20% of maritime respondents cite connectivity issues as a barrier to adoption of IoT-based solutions within their organisation – lower than any other sector.

To assess the industry’s readiness to adopt IoT-based solutions on owner testimony alone is to overlook the fact that much of the technical expertise historically held in-house has been outsourced to ship managers and equipment suppliers. Marine equipment can contribute 70% of the value of a new ship, meaning that it has been suppliers (rather than owners) making the running on connectivity, big data analytics, remote diagnostics and preventive maintenance. Some 64% of respondents said that they would use an external partner to facilitate either »some« or »as much as possible« of their efforts to develop IoT solutions. Maritime is also ahead of energy, agriculture and mining when it comes to attitudes towards IoT solutions, with 34% equating their position as one of »full deployment«. Driving the maritime »leaders« is the need for ships to be more cost efficient, cleaner and safer, with 56% already using or trialling smart asset monitoring. Fishing lags marginally behind commercial shipping, but 57% of the fishing organisations polled envisage uptake over the next 24 months.