The European Space Agency (ESA) is collaborating with Awake.AI, ABB and Wallenius Marine to create a sea voyage and port call optimisation solution as part of the Decarbonization through the Digitalization in Shipping (DECARDIS) project.
The solution will enable ships to take a ‘just in time’ approach to ports calls by adjusting their speed and ensuring arrival at a port when a berth is available.
The DECARDIS project is seeking to develop an integrated and interoperable solution to join up decisions on ship routing and speed with just-in-time arrival at the berth. It sees the potential for such a solution to optimise an entire voyage and port calls, rather than just a portion of it. Adopted at a global level, DECARDIS partners estimate that such a solution could help achieve significant emission reductions.
The DECARDIS project aims to integrate the voyage optimisation solution of the ABB-Wallenius Marine collaboration called OVERSEA with port optimisation solutions offered by Awake.AI in an interoperable solution.
Users would access the solution through a web-based interface that is compatible with existing onboard solutions.
‘With the OVERSEA collaboration, we are establishing a smart fleet support service which enhances efficiency,’ said Jesper Lögdström, Head of the Performance Management Center at Wallenius Marine.
‘We aim to give crews and shore personnel a common understanding of data and support them with insights and actionable recommendations to improve vessel operational performance. Transparency and close collaboration with clients will be crucial to succeed.’
Last year Awake.AI completed its first ESA demonstration ‘Smart Port Marketplace’ project, enabling the automation of buying and selling of port services and products.
‘Together with ABB and Wallenius Marine, we have a joint vision to the industry: what if no ship ever had to rush to wait. Every ship would always sail at their optimal speed and take the optimal route,’ said Karno Tenovuo, CEO of Awake.AI.
‘By combining the technologies Awake.AI has for port call optimisation and ABB and Wallenius Marine have for the voyage optimisation, we can make this vision a reality.’
The project is part of ESA’s call on maritime decarbonisation, which is aimed at supporting the development of sustainable space-based services and applications that address challenges related to the decarbonisation of the maritime industry. The call is also seeing to assist the maritime sector in adapting to and complying with new European and international regulatory frameworks.
Nil Angli, Maritime Lead at ESA Space Solutions, commented: ‘The maritime sector is undergoing a profound transformation to meet decarbonisation targets. DECARDIS is a prime example of how space data combined with digitalisation can be leveraged to transform the sector with immediate effect, and without compromising performance.’
