In the era of big data, it comes suddenly and violently.It brings hope to the industry, but also makes people feel at a loss what to do.Since the financial crisis of 2008, the shipping and shipbuilding industry has been shrouded in a fog of confusion.The advent of the era of big data is like a ship lost on the boundless sea suddenly receiving the light of the lighthouse ahead.However, the direction is found, but do not know which is the most effective way.

Future core competitiveness

As for the proposition of shipping digitalization, we are all crossing the river by feeling the stones and each family has its own way, so there is a bustling scene of competition among ships.However, given the diversity of circumstances and perceptions of digitization, it is unclear which path would be the most efficient to take to the beacon.

Experts have come up with the answer: in the next decade, as big data technologies (artificial intelligence, mechanical intelligence, intelligent devices, etc.) continue to mature, virtual and real worlds will continue to converge.Data-based service system and ecological platform will become the core competitiveness of the industry.Over time, digital will bring disruptive changes to business models, the expert explains.In the future shipping industry, assets will become services, with a solid digital foundation, to provide a full range of personalized services to achieve customer loyalty;Services will become systems, working with multiple industry partners to promote innovation, mastering information and implementing customer-centric business insights to achieve organic linkage of business forms;The system will become an ecological platform, leading to open ecological harmony, docking with diverse external contents, subverting the relationship between traditional shipping enterprises and shippers, and transforming from pure transaction to mutually beneficial cooperation and co-creation value.

With the passage of time, the ancient shipping industry also began to slowly "collapse", at the same time, there is a strong subversive force is slowly accumulated, only to wait for the opportunity to appear, then with the power of thunder.

The shipping industry in breaking the cocoon

With the continuous development of shipping digitalization, the business form of the industry is changing gradually.Digital operational enablement has brought disruptive trends to the industry.

Let the ship be wise.In December 2017, the world's first intelligent merchant ship iDolphin(intelligent dolphin), 38,800-ton intelligent bulk carrier dazhi, was officially unveiled at the 19th China international maritime exhibition.The smart ship has installed the world's first self-learning intelligent ship operation and maintenance system (SOMS).SOMS system has three sub-systems: intelligent navigation, intelligent engine room and intelligent energy efficiency management, which can make the ship operation more in line with the needs of The Times of safety, environmental protection and economy.Among them, the intelligent navigation system can calculate and analyze ship status, Marine environment and satellite navigation information of a variety of shipping routes, and give comprehensive route Suggestions that save time, fuel, comfort and low cost.Moreover, the 500 sensors installed on the ship can collect internal and external information during the actual voyage of the ship, enrich its database, and achieve autonomous "learning".It is understood that the platform can also be installed on a variety of ships, through the sharing platform will be many ships to share data.The launch of the vessel not only marks a milestone in the development of the global maritime industry, but also marks the advent of the era of smart ships and intelligent shipping in China.

In August 2018, the world's first zero-emissions automatic container ship "sharp Birkeland" number of partners to Norway Kang Shibo Maritime (Kongsberg Maritime) announced that the world's largest fertilizer maker sharp group has signed a value with Norway shipyard VARD 250 million Norwegian krone (us $29.6 million) a construction contract, is expected in the first quarter of 2020 to complete the delivery.Yara Birkeland will be the world's first fully electric feeder container ship with zero emissions.Initially operated by humans, the Yara Birkeland is expected to be fully operational by 2022.The ship will then be fully autonomous between the ports of bothglen, breivik and larvik.The launch of the Yara Birkeland pushes the development of shipping digitalization to another high point.Industry insiders say this could be a huge turning point in the history of global shipping.

Let information be Shared.On April 10, 2019, maersk line, Mediterranean shipping, herb ROM and Ocean Network Express (ONE) four shipping giant set up digital container shipping alliance (hereinafter referred to as DSCA), is committed to promoting the standardization of container shipping, digital and connectedness, coordinate the shipping company, the communication between client and third parties, promote efficiency for liner companies and clients.It is understood that the scheme will be based on shipping-sharing agreements, whereby shipping companies will be able to transport their own cargo on each other's ships.At present, due to the different communication systems used by different companies in the shipping industry, one company may not be able to obtain the cargo information on another company's ship, which may cause customers to lose the cargo location information after the cargo is loaded.So the alliance's job will be to promote information sharing and ensure transport visibility.

Connect ship ports.In January 2018, the world's largest and most automated container terminal, the fourth phase of Shanghai haiyangshan deepwater port, was opened and put into operation. The "devil terminal" is operated by no one and no one works. For the first time, the customs also USES automatic monitoring equipment in the unmanned terminal to automate customs clearance.According to the introduction, after the automation of the production management system, bridge crane operation and yard operation, horizontal transport do not need to go to the dock, loading and unloading transport equipment are all driven by electricity.Yangshan phase 4 adopts automatic loading and unloading equipment independently designed and manufactured by Shanghai zhenhua heavy industry co., LTD. Among them, the automatic guided transport vehicle (AGV) can not only go deep into the cantilever box area, but also shuttle back and forth in the storage yard, which can not only complete the all-weather uninterrupted operation, but also effectively reduce the energy consumption of the wharf.With the smart system, the AGV can determine its own route to avoid collision effectively.The lithium-ion battery-powered AGV of yangshan iv adopts the most cutting-edge technology. In addition to unmanned driving, automatic navigation, path optimization and active obstacle avoidance, it also supports self-fault diagnosis, self-power monitoring and other functions.

With the further deepening of exploration and experiment, enterprises are more determined on the road of digital transformation.On January 15, 2018, star line announced the appointment of Liav Geffen as the company's Chief Digital Officer (CDO), a position that will further strengthen star line's Digital strategic position in the industry.Rajesh Krishnamurthy, a former executive of Indian technology company Infosys, will be appointed senior vice President of the group on February 12 to accelerate the company's technology transformation and realize its ambition to become an industry leader in digital solutions, according to an announcement on cma's website on January 24, 2018.All these fully illustrate that the digital transformation and upgrading of major enterprises have entered the acceleration period.From the top design, gradually spread out in all aspects of the company's business to achieve technological innovation.

All the signs show that with the advancement of digitalization, the closed structure of the ancient shipping industry is being broken down gradually, and new forms and division of labor are being formed quietly.

Work together to forge ahead on a new journey

Shipping industry is an industry of high investment, assets management, high operating costs, at the same time, the market is changeable and capricious, running environment is complex, long-term market supply and demand imbalances, industry competition is intense, stricter environmental standards, and many other pressure makes the shipping companies have to keep their competitiveness effectively, to gain a foothold in the rapids, ultimately achieve sustainable development.And digitalization + shipping is the best way to drive the development through innovation.

Mike Konstantinidis, chief executive of Metis Cybertechnology, a start-up born of digitisation, has made it clear: "anyone who doesn't adopt new digital technologies in the next few years will be marginalised because it's a matter of survival."In order to seize the opportunity at the advent of the digital era and ride the wave of digitalization, all parties have also taken the initiative to explore the road of digitalization development based on their own characteristics.

Nippon yusen owned a large car carrier "Iris Leader" in the recently completed a global based on international regulations for the first time "someone automatically ships" sea test of autonomous navigation system, the ship has completed the international maritime organization (IMO) in June 2019, the latest release of the interim autonomous driving ship test guide (MASS) of all kinds of test items.The vessel is equipped with the Sherpa System for Real(SSR) ship navigation System, the best navigation program jointly developed by Nippon mail and Japan Marine sciences (JMS), to avoid collisions with other ships.According to Nippon post, the actual experience and data gained from this trip will further determine the availability of SSR systems and their benefits for safe and optimized operations.This test is a key step in the research and development of Japan's manned autonomous ship.In the future, jk will analyze the data collected from this test and adjust the differences between the optimal route obtained by the program and the optimal route determined by human professional judgment, so as to continue the development of SSR system to upgrade to a more advanced navigation support system.

A 3D printing ship measuring 7.6 meters long and weighing 2,268 kilograms was unveiled at a laboratory at the University of Maine on Oct. 10.Dirigo is Maine's Latin motto, meaning "I Lead."This is the world's largest 3D printer, and the largest 3D printer and 3D ship ever built, showing the promise of 3D printing in the production of models and prototypes.The ship was built in a 72-hour non-stop printing process and cost about $40,000 to make.Experts have also proved that the ship can actually sail on water.At the ceremony, U.S. senator Susan Collins, representing Maine, boarded the ship and "sailed" inside the university of Maine's ocean simulator, a giant "indoor swimming pool."Habib dag, founding director of the university of Maine composite materials center, says this example shows how large 3D printing can create larger objects to help companies with product development.In addition, the university of Maine is collaborating with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee ona printer project that aims to use cellulosic materials reinforced with bio-based thermoplastics to make more robust and recyclable 3d-printed materials.If the plan goes ahead, the printer will be able to quickly churn out items such as ship models or cement buckets that can be recycled.The university of Maine composites center will then study how to use 3D printing to improve the competitiveness of the local shipbuilding industry.

A 36-foot-long, yellow-and-white striped ship called the Maxlimer has captured the world's attention as it floats off the British coast.The Maxlimer is fully robotic and is scheduled to cross the Atlantic next year.As a result, it is expected to be the first unmanned surface vessel or unmanned surface vehicle (USV) to cross the Atlantic.The Maxlimer is the product of sea-kit, a maritime technology company based in southeast England that aims to produce a flexible vessel that is cheaper and safer than a manned vessel.It is understood that the Maxlimer allows machine-supported ships to make more room for equipment, including small drones/boats and submarines that can be released and recovered, as well as 2.5 tonnes of cargo, without support personnel.The ship can cruise at a leisurely 8 miles per hour until it runs out of fuel, lasting up to nine months at a time.The Maxlimer USES less than 5% of the fuel of ocean-going ships.Earlier this year, the Maxlimer made a quick voyage between Britain and Belgium, carrying oysters and beer.In the short term, sea-kit focuses on the energy market, conducting offshore research, supporting oil and gas RIGS and wind turbines, and testing pipelines.But autonomous boats have other potential USES.

The Singapore shipping association (SSA) officially announced the formation of a new digital transformation committee at its first technology and demonstration day.The council will seek to leverage digital capabilities to help member companies change their business and operating models to achieve internal efficiencies, reduce costs and improve their services in order to achieve sustained growth in the digital economy.The technology and demonstration day aims to help shipping companies, including small and medium-sized enterprises (smes), catalyze their adoption of technological innovation by building links with technology start-ups.The initiative is also part of SSA's digital initiative to support the maritime industry, which is being driven by the information media development council (IMDA), the maritime and port authority of Singapore (MPA), the Singapore enterprise development council and Skills Future of Singapore.

There are many similar explorations and attempts to digitize the shipping industry.However, it is undeniable that the current digitalization process of the shipping industry is still only "floating on the surface", which is in the physical superposition stage of the surface, not deep enough, and still faces many challenges.However, despite the obstacles and long road ahead, we believe that as long as the upstream and downstream industry chains of the whole industry work together, profound digital transformation will be realized at an early date, and true industrial digital integration will be realized, bringing win-win results of low cost and high value to the shipping industry.