The winners of 2024 SMART4SEA Awards announced

The winners of the 2024 SMART4SEA Virtual Awards are:

Weathernews Inc. received the 2024 SMART4SEA E-Navigation Award for facilitating e-navigation with weather intelligence, forecasting, route optimization, emission monitoring, performance monitoring, and more. Recently, the company with Dataloy to provide unique weather integration for Smarter Voyage Management. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: Avikus Co., Ltd., BOGERD MARTIN, Kpler and UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO).

Accepting the award, Elias J. Makris, Director for European Business Development, Weathernews Inc., stated:

At Weathernews, safety has always been and will always be our top priority. In the face of the shipping industry’s complex challenges, collaboration becomes paramount. We, at Weathernews, firmly believe in the power of collaboration to navigate towards a sustainable and profitable shipping future. This award underscores the success of our collaborative approach evident in the development of Sea Navigator

Established 39 years ago, Weathernews’ mission is a commitment to safeguarding life. In response to the dynamic challenges posed by climate change, the company’s foremost agenda is dedicated to environmental protection. Weathernews is converting millions and billions of data points into actionable insights, accelerating the decarbonization of the shipping industry, and ensuring vessel safety and commercial optimization. This involves optimising routes and enhancing vessel efficiency, empowering users with comprehensive and innovative solutions to navigate market dynamics, commercial factors, performance metrics, and real-time weather data. By utilising AI systems, managed by seasoned meteorologists and ex-mariners, Weathernews is shaping the next generation of weather intelligence solutions. Recently, Weathernews and Dataloy have joined forces for Smarter Voyage Management. As part of their collaborative data integration, Weathernews Inc and Dataloy Systems AS have introduced an integrated solution to refine voyage management based on unique weather data.

Ardmore Shipping received the 2024 SMART4SEA Connectivity Award for its “Ardmore Crew’s Got Talent” program that aims to foster connectivity among crew members. This is an inter-vessel competition with the goal of showcasing essential talents, encouraging the crew to engage in recreational and team-building activities. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: Bazeport, Columbia Group, Inmarsat, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL)/Marlink and Seafair.

Accepting the award, Capt. Yadu Bassi, Marine Personnel Manager, Ardmore Shipping, stated:

I am truly honored to accept SMART4SEA connectivity award. This recognition reflects the dedication and creativity of our incredible crew members. This award is a testament of collective spirit and dedication of a crew. I extend gratitude to each crew member.

“Ardmore Crew’s Got Talent” is an inter-vessel competition which highlights key talents and leads to crew indulging in recreational and team building activities. The program enhances connectivity among crew members, allowing them to forge stronger relationships. The program features monthly themes, which vary from Photography to Music Band creation, Cookery competitions, House of Cards, Sketch Art on T-shirt, Dance-offs, and Mix n Match Dress-up Fiesta etc. These diverse themes ensure that every crew member can participate, regardless of their interests or skills. “Ardmore Crew’s Got Talent” is a testament to the belief that everyone has a hidden talent waiting to be discovered.

ZeroNorth received the 2024 SMART4SEA Energy Efficiency Award for its Vessel Optimisation service which is multi-service platform that harnesses data to generate advanced insights on how to reduce fuel consumption via speed, route and weather optimisation, and reduce and monitor emissions to support sustainability goals. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: ABS, Wavesight, Ascenz Marorka, AYRO, NAPA.

Accepting the award, Soren Christian Meyer, Founder & CEO, ZeroNorth, stated:

Change is not about technology, change is about changed behaviors and technologies that can enable that. We’re very proud of working with our customers on that. The reward here is not only a recognition to the company and its efforts, it’s to all the employees that have done the hard work, both building the technology and continuing to evolve the technology.

ZeroNorth offers a multi-service platform, which harnesses data to generate advanced insights to unlock the full potential of every vessel, voyage and fleet. Since 2022, the ZeroNorth platform has prevented more than 1,134,807 metric tonnes of CO2 emission metric tonnes of CO2 from being emitted from our customer vessels. ZeroNorth’s platform provides recommendations on how to reduce fuel consumption via speed, route and weather optimisation, and reduce and monitor emissions to support sustainability goals. ZeroNorth delivers measurable impact and tangible savings to help the industry advance its sustainability agenda. ZeroNorth’s Vessel Optimisation service combines established vessel performance analysis methods with interconnected data and modern modelling techniques to generate actionable insights. These can help to improve operational procedures, better manage the condition of onboard equipment and ensure vessels are operated efficiently at sea and in port.

Marlink received the 2024 SMART4SEA Cyber Security Award for its ‘CyberGuard UTM’ solution using a ‘Firewall as a Service’ model, which enables customers to seize the digital trend while maximizing the protection of their IT and OT assets against cyber security threats. The company also operates its own Maritime Security Operations Centre (SOC). Other short-listed nominees for this category were: CyberOwl, NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences , Norwegian Shipowners’ Association and Red Sky Alliance.

Accepting the award, Patrick Decool, VP Cyber Security & IOT Solutions, Marlink, stated:

I am very proud to receive the SMART4SEA award. It’s a fantastic recognition for all teams and VP Cyber Security & IOT Solutions, especially for our maritime community. Within a few clicks, our customers can really move from a normal to a completely detection and protection environment. Our solutions are embedded, so we give our clients a view of all the security elements.

In 2022, Marlink’s Global Maritime Cyber Threat Report found that use of botnets and ransomware attacks against shipping were on the rise, with a net increase of over 20% detected compared to previous years. Marlink operates its own Maritime Security Operations Centre (SOC) and handles close to 1.3 billion events annually, using over 2.3 million Indicators of Compromise. Marlink has a well-established cyber security portfolio, including Threat Detection and Endpoint Security, as well as the SOC and Remediation and Response services. As threats evolve, Marlink has developed the latest addition to the portfolio – CyberGuard UTM – to support and secure its customers’ digital transformation strategies, getting closer to their critical assets and operations. CyberGuard UTM’s security features include application control, web filtering, intrusion protection and anti virus. Marlink provides the CyberGuard UTM solution using a ‘Firewall as a Service’ model. CyberGuard UTM is deployed fully remotely, without any onboard attendance necessary, enabling customers to maximize the protection of their IT and OT assets against cyber security threats.

OneLearn Global received the 2024 SMART4SEA Training Award for offering an eLearning Diversity course to raise awareness and inspire greater understanding of the cultural differences generated among a globally diversified workforce. The highly interactive Diversity course enables participants to apply the concepts of diversity and inclusion. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: Mintra, NSB Academy, VSTEP Simulation, Wärtsilä Land and Sea Academy.

Accepting the award, Marinos Kokkinis, Managing Director, OneLearn Global, stated: 

I’m honored and delighted that we’ve been announced as the winners of this award. We’re very proud of our diversity course, designed to raise awareness and inspire greater understanding of the cultural differences generated among a globally diversified workforce. It is crucial the industry welcomes more people onboard of different race, culture and gender. Crew members should be given the tools to understand this evolving culture within the industry.

OneLearn Global (OLG) has launched an eLearning Diversity course to raise awareness and inspire greater understanding of the cultural differences generated among a globally diversified workforce.  The highly interactive Diversity course enables participants to apply the concepts of diversity and inclusion and give them the valuable skills and tools necessary to support a diversified workplace. The training is covered through a series of six individual programmes that focus on Equality, Equity and Diversity, key characteristics of a diversified personnel and how to improve diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Seafarers are guided through the on-screen tuition with scenario-based activities, assessments, and audio-visual content. The course contains interactive content, and assessments for all types of learners. Learners take OLG’s Diversity course and the subsequent assessment online, using their computers or smart devices.

Danelec received the 2024 SMART4SEA Technology Award for its ‘’Danelec Connect’’ platform. From daily reports, in-depth historical analysis, and emission reporting, to ROI-focused performance benchmarks, Danelec Connect equips maritime stakeholders with unparalleled actionable insights. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: OneLink, Sedna, Shipnext and Veson Nautical.

Accepting the award, Christian Treu, SVP, Connect & IoT Business, Danelec, stated:

Thank you for the award. At DanelecConnect, we have really been working hard on creating a product that will help the shipowners make better decisions and operations, both for safety reasons and also for fuel savings and emissions. The next 12 months are also going to be interesting.

The Danelec Connect platform results from collaboration and cutting-edge technological amalgamation. Stemming from Danelec’c acquisition of the Norwegian entity, Kyma, it integrates Kyma’s Shaft Power meter and ship performance monitoring technology with Danelec’s ship data capture knowledge and expertise. Danelec Connect’s most notable feature is its innate capability to centralize, combine, and consolidate all ship data into a single platform. This integration provides a panoramic view of operations, ensuring decision-makers have seamless and comprehensive access to crucial data as needed and when needed. Furthermore, the platform easily integrates with other services through API. From daily reports, in-depth historical analysis, and emission reporting, to ROI-focused performance benchmarks, Danelec Connect equips maritime stakeholders with unparalleled actionable insights. The automatic notification feature provides timely notifications concerning onboard sensor irregularities, data discrepancies, or performance glitches.

Oskar Levander, Vice President Strategy & Business Development, Integration & Energy, Kongsberg Maritime received the 2024 SMART4SEA Personality Award for being a pioneer and a key figure in the development of autonomous and smart shipping. He has contributed to the concept of the ‘intelligent ship’ and played a vital role in the development of new ship designs, machinery and propulsion concepts for various ship types and emerging marine technologies

Accepting the award, Oskar Levander stated:

It is a great pleasure to receive this personality award. A concept that I’m truly excited about is support vessels currently on the construction for each subsea. I got the idea for the rest of the concert back in 2015 and we started to develop the initial designing.  It took a few years and many dedicated people have been involved, but now a groundbreaking solution is being constructed. It combines a new technology, novel design with a totally new business one.

Before joining Kongsberg, Oskar Levander held a similar position in Rolls-Royce Commercial Marine prior to the acquisition of the company. He joined Rolls-Royce in 2012 from Wärtsilä, where he spent the majority of his career after graduating from Helsinki University of Technology in 2000, with an MSc in naval architecture. Oskar has been driving the development of novel ship designs, machinery and propulsion concepts and has pioneered many emerging marine technologies, such as LNG. Today he spearheads the development of ship intelligence concepts and the introduction of remote and autonomous ships. He is one of the foremost thought leaders in the marine industry.

Alexander Varvarenko, Founder & Owner, Shipnext received the 2024 SMART4SEA Leadership Award for his pioneering efforts and exemplary leadership in innovation and digitalization of shipping, transportation and supply chain management. Boasting an extensive 22-year background in international shipping, he stands as the driving force behind Shipnext. This digital shipping platform seamlessly integrates machine learning, artificial intelligence, and cutting-edge technologies to revolutionize data processing and management, ultimately elevating operational efficiency to unprecedented.

Accepting the award, Alexander Varvarenko stated:

Every man has thought to build a house, have children, and plant a tree. But, there is a much heavier duty upon a leader. A leader must be proud of what he or she builds and achieves, and no leader is a leader without his team. I’m very proud of my team, they are absolutely great, located in so many countries around the world.

Alexander Varvarenko is a Belgian shipping and digital technology entrepreneur, with 22-year experience in international shipping. Alexander is actively transforming the international shipping business. With the Shipnext platform, he revolutionizes data processing and management, ultimately elevating operational efficiency to unprecedented levels. Above all Alexander Varvarenko is a father of 5 children, an investor and a speaker on innovation and digitalization of shipping, transportation and supply chain management.

EXPLORE MORE ABOUT THE 2024 SMART4SEA AWARDS HERE