Wärtsilä Voyage: Data will be crucial for maritime industry’s green future

Data will play a central role in helping the maritime industry comply with the new regulations on Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), as well as achieve its environmental, regulatory, and commercial goals, according to Sarah Barrett, Product Insights at Wärtsilä Voyage.

Wärtsilä Voyage, part of Finnish technology major Wärtsilä, provides intelligent technology to enable a cleaner, more connected maritime world. It is building a digital ecosystem for commercial shipping where all vessels are technologically smart, safer and energy efficient.

Commenting on the occasion of this year’s World Maritime Day (WMD) which focuses on new technologies for greener shipping, Barrett said:

“The green transition is now at the top of every ship manager, owner, and operator’s agenda. As the IMO’s EEXI and CII regulation fast approaches, ensuring compliance will be a key driver for maritime organisations to harness technology for greener shipping.”

“However, in today’s competitive maritime landscape, organisations are under increasing pressure to juggle environmental and regulatory goals with action that ensures the highest possible profit margin. Today’s powerful software algorithms can play an important role here, analysing data to make recommendations that could inform decision-making and vastly improve performance, efficiency, and voyage and vessel optimisation,” Barrett explained.

“Take fuel – the single largest cost to ship operations – as an example. Software-driven insights can help chart the most optimised voyage so that less fuel is consumed. Not only does this reduce the emissions from a vessel on that route, but it can also free up money to reinvest elsewhere in decarbonisation goals.”

“At the end of the day, data-based decision making will play a crucial role in futureproofing shipping and ensuring companies can continue to run safe, sustainable, efficient, compliant, and profitable businesses,” Barrett concluded.