Year in Review: Timeline of smart shipping developments in 2019

As 2019 comes to an end, the time has come for an annual review concerning smart shipping. This year, the shipping industry continued facing and taking part in major technological developments, providing maritime stakeholders with opportunities to explore new opportunities in the smart era in the field of autonomous vessels, connectivity onboard and cyber security, spreading the digitalization message across the whole industry.

#4 ENISA organizes the first conference on transport cyber-security

The European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA) organised the first Conference on Transport Cyber-security, focusing on the EU legal framework for cyber-security, and its relevance for the transport sector.

February 2019

#1 IMB tackles bills of lading fraud

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) launched the IMB NVOCC Register to eliminate bills of lading (B/L) fraud conducted by non-vessel owning common carriers (NVOCCs).

#2 System automatically identifies objects improving situational awareness

The Finnish Geospatial Research Institute and Aalto University collaborated with Fleetrange and Tallink Grupp creating a system which automatically identifies and recognizes objects, such as navigation aids and other vessels around the ship, improving situational awareness.

#3 Sea Hunter – autonomous vessel – sails unmanned

The Office of Naval Research’s (ONR) autonomous vessel, Sea Hunter, accomplished an autonomous navigation from San Diego to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and returned without crew onboard.

March 2019

#1 The Joint Industry Project Autonomous Shipping conducted autonomous tests

The Joint Industry Project Autonomous Shipping conducted a number of autonomous trials, with the SeaZip 3, a Damen Fast Crew Supplier 2610 ‘Twin Ax’ equipped with intelligent control, capable of avoiding collisions and participating in various runs of nautical scenarios to enable interaction of the ship with other shipping traffic.

#2 MAN introduces real-time data analysis digital platform

MAN Energy Solutions launched the “MAN CEON” digital platform which collects and evaluates operating and sensor data, enabling the real-time monitoring of marine or power-plant engines, turbines and compressors.

#3 MOL conducts test on subsea ROV for inspections

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd conducted a test on a remotely operated subsea vehicle (subsea ROV) to inspect the submerged areas of the hull on an MOL Marine-operated cable-laying ship, in collaboration with Sekido Co., Ltd.

#4 Norsk Hydro attacked by cyber hackers

Norsk Hydro was cyber attacked, hit by the comparatively new LockerGoga virus at first, before spreading to its network encrypting files, with Per Martin Tanggaard, Director of Nor-Shipping, stating that this attack was a showcase of the increasing risk that maritime and ocean companies face.

April 2019

#1 Wärtsilä completes sea trials of SceneScan system

The technology group completed its sea trials of its SceneScan system, which is the world’s first ‘targetless’ dynamic positioning (DP) laser sensor, requiring no reflector target to be deployed, increasing both safety and operational uptime.

May 2019

#1 Autonomous and unmanned ship “Maxlimer” attempts the world’s first transatlantic voyage

“Maxlimer” begun its journey from Canada, bound for the south coast of England, in a 35-day voyage, conducting, in the meantime, deep sea surveys guided by a skipper in a control station in Britain.

#2 ABS publish first notations on smart technology for marine and offshore industry

ABS launched the Guide for Smart Functions for Marine Vessels and Offshore Units (Smart Guide) to assist marine and offshore owners and operators leverage their operational data, introducing a class approach leading to the marine and offshore industries’ first set of notations to help owners and operators qualify and use smart functions.

#3 MPA Singapore opens 24/7 Maritime Cyber security Operations Centre

The Maritime Cyber Security Operations Centre aimed at improving Singapore’s cyber security posture by detecting and responding early to potential cyber-attacks on maritime Critical Information Infrastructure (CII).

#4 BIMCO launches new standard Cyber Security Clause

BIMCO launched a new standard Cyber Security Clause, requiring the parties to implement cyber security procedures and systems, to help reduce the risk of an incident and limit the consequences in the possibility of a security breach occurring.

June 2019

#1 ClassNK issues Guidelines for Software Security

ClassNK Classification Society published its Guidelines for Software Security, concerning software developers, system integrators, mostly focusing on risk management, focusing on the software used onboard vessels.

#2 UK seafarers acquire better internet access

ITF Seafarers’ Trust along with the Merchant Navy Welfare Board collaborated on a one-year trial scheme using mi-fi technology, wireless routers that act as a mobile wi-fi hotspot, to provide seafarers with a strong and secure internet connection to contact families and friends.

July 2019

#1 Researchers develop computer-model that forecasts weather conditions

A team of researchers from Penn State University in the U.S., the University of Almería in Spain and AccuWeather Inc. devised a computer model that helped forecasters spot developing storms faster, as well as rotational movements in clouds from satellite images that might, in other situations, been unnoticed.

#2 New satellite payloads in the Arctic for better mobile broadband services

Inmarsat introduced two new satellite payloads, also known as “Global Xpress (GX) payloads” dedicated to the Arctic region, which will boost the increasing demand for reliable mobile broadband services in the Arctic and throughout the world.

#3 Bureau Veritas issues two cyber notations

Bureau Veritas launched two new notations for cyber resilience, a) Cyber Managed and b) Cyber Secure, both aiming to the utmost protection of stakeholders within the shipping industry.

August 2019

#1 Saildrone USV: the first unmanned system that circumnavigated Antarctica

Saildrone, a wind-powered unmanned surface vehicle (USV) is the first unmanned system to circumnavigate Antarctica, equipped with climate sensors and data-gathering abilities, provided an additional insight into ocean and climate processes.

September 2019

 #1 Port of Antwerp trials simultaneous drone flights

The port of Antwerp and the SAFIR consortium tested the first simultaneous drone flights in Sint-Truiden DronePort, contributing to the EU regulatory process for drones and boosting the deployment of interoperable, harmonized and standardized drone services across Europe.

#2 TechnipFMC and DNV GL present digital twins for the oil and gas industry

TechnipFMC and DNV GL partnered to develop the oil and gas industry’s first methodology for qualifying the integrity of the digital twin technology in the oil and gas sector, making stakeholders trust the concept of digital twins for performance and safety decision-making in projects and operations.

October 2019

#1 BIMCO & ICS launch cyber security guide

BIMCO and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) published a new cyber security guidebook as a guide for the master and officers, to assist the crewmembers adapt easier to the new technological methods.

#2 Singapore launches Centre of Excellence, focusing on autonomous vessels

The Centre of Excellence is a collaboration between the Singapore Maritime Institute and the Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore (TCOMS), enabling Singapore to conduct safer and more efficient operations for autonomously and remotely operated vessels.

November 2019

#1 Maritime UK publishes updated Code of Practice for autonomous vessels

The Maritime UK launched its updated version of Code of Practice concerning autonomous vessels, helping owners and interested parties on following specific guidelines, focusing on safety, environmental protection and right choice of technical solutions.

#2 UK-based James Fisher and Sons (JFS) cyber-attacked

The UK-based marine services provider James Fisher and Sons (JFS) announced that they were victims of a cyber-attack, as their computer systems suffered an unauthorized intrusion, which resulted to the company taking all of its systems offline.

#3 Mexican oil company cyber attacked, refused to pay ransom

The Mexican national oil company Pemex detected a hack in its operations that forced the company to suspend its operations, shutting down computers across Mexico and freezing systems such as payments. Still, the company refused to pay the ransom demanded by the hackers.

#4 CLIIN technology improves cargo hold cleaning

The CLIIN technology, an environmentally friendly robot technology, improved ship cargo hold cleaning, reducing the risk of cargo contamination and decreasing the cleaning costs.

#5 NYK Group develops a condition-based maintenance system

The NYK Group finalized a research agreement to launch a developing condition-based maintenance (CBM) system, to be used for the machineries of autonomous ships, and began the verification of the system during the actual ship operation, providing a new way of fixing vessel’s machinery while it’s on operation.

December 2019

#1 ISO launches world’s first ISO approved drone standards

The International Organization for Standardisation (ISO) announced the world’s first ISO approved drone standards, focusing on air safety, privacy and data protection, the future of drones, as well as their impact on the economy.

#2 Hamburg Süd launches remote container management technology

Hamburg Süd launched its new Remote Container Management (RCM) technology assisting their reefer container shipments, helping customers keep track of their containers and their deliveries, monitoring factors such as temperature, relative humidity, and the concentrations of O₂ and CO₂ within the reefer container in real time.

#3 Maersk launches updated “Captain Peter” virtual assistant

Maersk launched its updated Remote Container Management (RCM) platform, along with Captain Peter, the updated virtual assistance able to alert customers when needed and keeps an eye on containers’ condition.