NAPA: Data is key to collaboration on shipping’s decarbonisation journey

Data is central to effective collaboration, supporting the safe and successful introduction of technologies that help reduce emissions and improve sustainability, Finnish maritime software company NAPA said.

As the maritime industry steps up collaboration to address its decarbonisation challenge, making it work in practice will rely on digital tools that are already available today.

At SMM 2022 in Hamburg, NAPA will present real-life examples of successful collaborative decarbonisation initiatives, showcasing how they work in practice and highlighting the potential of key lessons for the broader industry.

Calls for greater industry collaboration to speed up the energy transition continue to grow in volume, often without tangible mechanisms to support a collective approach. To address this challenge, Mikko Kuosa, CEO of NAPA, emphasizes the vital role of digital tools in overcoming obstacles that stand in the way of greater emissions reductions across the industry.

These range from innovative contractual frameworks supported by real-time data to solve the split incentives problem, to advanced 3D models that help naval engineers, tech developers, shipowners and class societies speed up design innovation, to stability software that enables crews and onshore teams to collaborate for safer and more efficient operations.

“We collectively agree that more collaboration needs to happen to deliver shipping’s sustainability transition at speed, but how we better collaborate often remains unclear. Thankfully the technology needed to make collaboration work in practice already exists, from early 3D design models to cloud-based solutions that enable information sharing and data collection on unprecedented levels,” Mikko Kuosa, CEO of NAPA, said.

“Our experience shows that when done right, collaboration can truly be a win-win situation, where all partners improve their outcomes, gain clarity, future-proof their assets, and contribute to the emissions reductions that are urgently needed for the planet.”

NAPA’s Executive Vice President for Safety Solutions Esa Henttinen added that big data plays a key role in helping the industry gain and action insights to deploy decarbonization innovations without compromising seafarer and passenger safety.

“As the industry is on a fast track to cut its environmental footprint with new technology, ship safety and stability must be prerequisites for a smooth transition and adoption of greener technology, both for newbuilds and existing vessels. Be it alternative fuels, carbon capturing, navigational tech, or performance optimization tools – new innovations will have to be implemented in tandem with operational safety for their successful implementation,” Henttinen noted.

“For instance, retrofitting new equipment, such as newer fuel-efficient engines, batteries, etc., for greener operations will need to be implemented keeping in mind its effect on the vessel’s long-term safety profile. Similarly, when alternative fuels are introduced, the fuel-carrying capacity and its optimization will be a critical factor in voyage and safety planning.”

Among innovative decarbonisation partnerships, NAPA’s presence at SMM will feature Blue Visby, a recently launched industry coalition that combines an innovative contractual framework that addresses the problems of “split incentives”, with digital technology that optimizes arrivals for a group of ships travelling to the same port, enabling them to reduce their emissions by 15%.