Cloud Technology News

Groke Technologies, the Finnish technology company behind the Groke Pro Situational Awareness System, has introduced a new solution designed to give ship managers shoreside an unparalleled view of the surrounding area of all the vessels in their fleet.Groke Fleet gives ship management teams more detailed information on which to better evaluate, enhance and control the navigational safety and efficiency of their vessels.Unlike traditional fleet awareness solutions, which tend to be based only on periodically updated AIS data…

Wave measurement specialist Miros Group has hired Marius Five Aarset as its new CEO to lead the company as it looks to grow in renewable energy, oil and gas, offshore operations, and shipping markets.Marius Five Aarset has joined Miros from ABB, succeeding Andreas Brekke, who is taking on the role of CEO at the joint-venture Miros Mocean."With more than 25 years’ experience in digital and engineering-based roles, Mr. Aarset’s appointment follows nearly half a decade of senior leadership experience.

CrewSmart, the end-to-end management system for maritime operations, has hired Commercial Director Anna Saunders to support the global rollout of its software platform to maritime businesses. Saunders joins from offshore energy support vessel (OESV) operator Seacat Services, where she led the company’s crew management team.Christian Adams, Founder & Technical Director, CrewSmart, said, “Crew and fleet managers need to be on the top of their game to mitigate the growing compliance risks associated with modern maritime operations.

The global coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact on society and on business. Working from home has become the new normal and many industries have quickly adjusted. But in an industry as traditional as shipping, this is causing a major shake-up, not least in the uptake of technology.According to satcom specialist IEC Telecom, the demand for digital technology has risen tenfold as maritime businesses embrace new ways of working during the coronavirus pandemic.Another recent study from members of Maritime Singapore highlights that when companies digitalize their processes…

Another year has passed since our last mapping of the maritime software landscape, and it is once again time to review the latest developments and trends in this space.Overall, 2019 was another turbulent year for most shipping markets, overshadowed by preparations for the IMO 2020 sulfur regulations, rising geopolitical tensions, the trade war between the USA and China, as well as natural disasters disrupting global supply chains. This article provides insight into the changes seen in the maritime software landscape under these turbulent conditions: On a high-level…

The shipping industry is finally embracing technology that is changing how companies operate. Despite lagging behind other industries, the shipping industry is currently experiencing an exciting period of digital transformation, with cloud technology and mobile apps welcomed by leading global shipping companies, changing ship management forever.Companies are increasingly using mobile apps to manage all aspects of their business – to automate tasks, manage their processes, resourcing and to improve the wellbeing of seafarers…

Technology, from mobile to cloud to social media, have all had an enormous impact on the way companies operate and interact with their staff and customers. However, research from technology media company IDG, found that while 89% of companies plan to adopt a digital-first strategy, only 44% of them have actually done it. While the shipping industry has been slow to adopt digital technology, there are signs this is changing. According to the Navis Business Bellwether report  – an ongoing benchmark study designed to track the perceptions…

Qatar-based maritime and logistics conglomerate Qatar Navigation (Milaha) has signed an agreement with Oracle Cloud applications to drive a major digital transformation across all its core business operations and its subsidiaries.The initiative will help Milaha create new revenue streams by introducing innovative services and drive operational efficiency with automated processes, said a press release from the Qatari logistics giant.Abdulrahman AlMannai, Milaha’s President and Chief Executive Officer said “In line with State of Qatar 2030 vision and in a world of increasingly complex supply chains, constantly challenging the status quo is imperative to drive sustained growth and deliver on fast-evolving customer expectations.

DNV GL is launching a completely renewed Shore Monitoring module for Navigator Port. Installed on more than 2500 vessels, Navigator Port is the industry's leading port clearance solution.With a strong focus on the user experience, this module is the first of DNV GL's next generation fleet management solutions to be developed on the latest cloud technology.Most shipping companies find it challenging to keep on top of crew work and rest hour compliance. It is essential to have the same view and information on board and in the office.Navigator Port’s Shore Monitoring module is a user-friendly, cloud-based solution designed for monitoring work and rest compliance according to the relevant regulations.

BIMCO has launched SmartCon, a new solution for editing contracts that is designed to make contractual work easier and more secure. “SmartCon is a brand-new approach to contract editing, we believe that it will significantly ease the work life of our current users and will attract new users to BIMCO’s contract universe,” said Grant Hunter, Head of Contracts and Clauses at BIMCO. The key innovation in SmartCon is that the features are built into a Word document, which will integrate and merge seamlessly with the normal workflow of shipping professionals and legal staff.

Nearly 200 delegates from across the world gathered in Den Haag, The Netherlands in September 2017 to hear about the latest developments in maritime training based on state-of-the-art simulation technology. The three-day Kongsberg UC2017 International Maritime Simulation User Conference brought attendees up to date on developments in digitalization, maritime training, navigation technology, maritime operations simulation and the use of virtual reality in training. Tom Mulligan reports.

Nautisk’s NaviPlanner, a voyage planning solution which utilizes touch-screen functionality and cloud technology based on the Microsoft Azure platform, is set to be enhanced with the inclusion of more comprehensive port data following a new partnership with Shipping Guides Ltd. The integration of port information from Shipping Guides’ online service FindaportAPI will enable users to benefit from improved ports and port operations data. Nautisk Head of Innovation, Kjetil Bentsen, said, “Following the integration of FindaportAPI, the next step will be to develop a feedback module for port information so that users of NaviPlanner can evaluate and update information. “Software will be built into the NaviPlanner system with the aim of interacting with the user.

Aiming to change the way mariners manage back of bridge systems, Nautisk has developed NaviPlanner, an integrated end-to-end voyage planning solution which utilizes touch-screen functionality and uses cloud technology based on the Microsoft Azure platform. Head of Nautisk’s product development and technical team Kjetil Bentsen said, “NaviPlanner is designed to make the operational task of planning and managing voyages a simpler, more effective process, from start to finish. Using compliant navigational chart data and digital publications…

The GT Nexus Shipper Council, a community group of supply chain executives representing large global enterprises, has recognized Hapag-Lloyd, one of the world's leading container liner shipping companies, as the winner of the 2016 Ocean Performance Award. The award was granted at Bridges 2016, the leading cloud supply chain industry event held July 10-13 in New York as part of Inforum. Hapag-Lloyd operates a fleet of 175 modern container ships and a total capacity of 955,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). The company has approximately 9,400 employees at 361 sites in 118 countries. Hapag-Lloyd has a container fleet of 1.6 million TEU including one of the world's largest and most state-of-the-art reefer fleets.

The cloud is for “device-agnostic young slashers,” said Trond Bjorseth, marketing manager, of Oslo-based cloud consultancy, Tieto. His company offers an information management tool for subsea projects and “repositories” for the shipping sector’s operations. With Tieto you can get “one big happy project room,” although he admits at least three suppliers offer something similar. For its own future “slashers,” Glasgow-based ship manager Norbulk Shipping opted instead for Google Cloud Technology Solutions…

Following a successful Network Innovation Competition bid in 2015, DNV GL has secured innovation funding from SGN to partner in a project to demonstrate the viability and practical reality of a mixed-source, energy-centric gas network for the future. The project was developed, and will be delivered, in partnership with SGN who are one of the UK's key gas distribution operators, and industry leaders in innovation. The integrated energy network of the future must be flexible, secure, cost effective and above all safe. The changing gas industry, driven by a reduced North Sea supply is increasingly required to accommodate gas from more diverse sources such as biomethane and shale gas.

Ship management company Norbulk Shipping is already seeing the benefits from embracing the move toward paperless ships. The Glasgow-based ship manager explored several options before deciding to move its IT systems to ‘the cloud,’ via the cloud migrator for Google, Cloud Technology Solutions. A need for the industry to move to the digital world has been recognized by InterManager, the international trade association for in-house and third party ship managers, which believes the burden of administrative tasks falling on seafarers in today’s shipping industry is significant. The paperless ship is a big issue facing the shipping industry with many companies trying to reduce time and paper used in form-filling, both onboard and ashore.

The Japanese technology firms are using their experience in saving energy and in cloud technology to help farmers cope with changes in climate, cheaper imports and declining labor. Panasonic, Fujitsu and others looking for an opportunity in a niche market to offset the decline in demand for consumer electronics, are working in greenhouses and controlled by automatic sensors to ensure constant conditions to produce high quality vegetables all year fields . Fujitsu says its agricultural system Akisai cloud means users can sit behind a desk in Tokyo, or even in New York, while cultivating vegetables in Shizuoka, using a tablet to control sprinklers, fans and heaters in response to changes in the temperature and humidity detected by the sensors in fields or greenhouses.

New IAS Dispatch cloud technology improves last mile visibility and connects multiple trading partners to optimize inland container trucking. IAS has unveiled a new generation of cloud technology to address the complexities associated with planning, pricing, booking and executing inland container haulage. Developed as an extension to the industry-leading IAS DispatchManager, a web solution that automates the container haulage work order process from creation to proof of delivery, these latest solutions are designed to help ocean carriers, cargo owners, third-party logistics providers, and motor carriers connect and collaborate more effectively. Intermodal road haulage is a vital link in the transportation chain, with significant impact on total shipment costs, efficiency and reliability.

New IAS Dispatch cloud technology improves last mile visibility and connects multiple trading partners to optimize inland container trucking. IAS has unveiled a new generation of cloud technology to address the complexities associated with planning, pricing, booking and executing inland container haulage. Developed as an extension to the industry-leading IAS DispatchManager, a web solution that automates the container haulage work order process from creation to proof of delivery, these latest solutions are designed to help ocean carriers, cargo owners, third-party logistics providers, and motor carriers connect and collaborate more effectively. Intermodal road haulage is a vital link in the transportation chain, with significant impact on total shipment costs, efficiency and reliability.

Inventory Locator Service sign MOU with Danaos Management Consultants to develop cloud-based procurement & management services. Together the companies will develop a platform called MarineHubsm, a network of companies in the marine industry that will facilitate planned maintenance and procurement of spares for ship owners, managers and suppliers worldwide using cloud technology. George Zdravecky, ILS vice president of Supply Chain Solutions, recently spoke about the benefits of creating such a network at the International Marine Purchasing Association (IMPA) conference in London. "Creating an environment that connects the content, systems, people and processes will benefit all companies in the marine industry,” said Zdravecky.