

(Posted on 28/04/20)
Japan’s role and potential as a driver of digitalisation in shipping has been captured and analysed in a new report focused on maritime innovation
‘A quiet revolution - the maritime innovation ecosystem in Japan’, explores the commitments to Internet of Things (IoT)-based ship and crew management already made by corporate Japan, then goes on to offer unique insights into the country’s emerging start-up culture.
The report, sponsored by Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, is the first in a series of in-depth profiles into maritime technology and start-ups in specific countries. It builds on ‘Trade 2.0: How start-ups are driving the next generation of maritime trade’, a global study launched by Inmarsat in 2019 during London International Shipping Week.
Both studies are the work of renowned maritime experts Nick Chubb (MNI*) and Leonardo Zangrando (MSc, MBA). Nick Chubb is a former seafarer and Founder and Director of Thetius Maritime Innovation Intelligence. Leonardo Zangrando is a Naval Architect and Founder and Managing Director of Startup Wharf Ltd, an Independent Global Hub of Startup-driven Maritime Transformation.
“We are delighted to be the key sponsor of this latest report,” says Ronald Spithout, President of Inmarsat Maritime. “It offers a perceptive insight into the status of Japan’s growing maritime digitalisation in 2020.”
Japan’s three largest global shipping carriers – K Line, Mitsui OSK Line and NYK Line - are users of Inmarsat Fleet Xpress services, Spithout points out. All three companies are also committed to ground-breaking data sharing projects to enable optimised vessel performance, manned autonomous ships and decarbonisation.
K Line has worked with Kawasaki Heavy Industries developing a ship performance optimisation platform to manage biofouling, optimise trim, and to reduce crew workload. MOL joined the National Maritime Research Institute and Furuno Electric Co. to develop augmented reality for navigation support for 21 very large crude carriers (VLCC). While NYK has developed its onboard IoT platform with Monohakobi Technology Institute (MTI), Nippon Telegraph and Telephone and NTT Data.
“Partnerships have been the bedrock for digitalisation in Japan. As the leading provider of high-speed maritime broadband connectivity via Fleet Xpress, we work closely with the large corporate enterprises pushing the technological envelope. However, this new report highlights other important relationships that are also shaping Japan’s digital future,” says Spithout, “including those outside of conventional networks, such as the E5 Lab on autonomous vessels, the Ship Data Centre and the Maritime Innovation Japan Corporation.”
Earlier this year, Inmarsat began working with Ship Data Centre (ShipDC), set up by the classification society, ClassNK. ShipDC promotes the initiative “Internet of Ships Open Platform (IoS-OP)” to integrate operational data from multiple fleets. ONE uses the IoS-OP to share data with K Line, MOL and NYK respectively across the ONE container fleet, improving fleet performance benchmarking. Finnish data analysis specialist NAPA became the first solution provider to join the IoS-OP, offering ship and voyage optimisation services. NAPA is also a Certified Application Provider for the Fleet Xpress IoT platform for shipping Fleet Data.
ClassNK has released ‘Prime Shipmanagement Guidelines’ which aim to achieve sustainable... Read more
In the face of unpredictable provisioning costs, port disruptions, and longer lead times MCTC has reinforced... Read more
On the back of the increased gains from sales of vessels and good operational performance, NORDEN, a... Read more
The International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) has welcomed the recent decision... Read more
Despite its lack of publicity, malaria remains an ongoing epidemic and a perilous threat to seafarers... Read more
Due to market uncertainty, overall sale and purchase levels for Bulkers have fallen year on year, with... Read more
The Britannia Group, a leading P&I insurer, has announced that its Chief Executive, Andrew Cutler... Read more
At last week's landmark MEPC 83 meeting, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Member States... Read more
In line with NORDEN’s strategy to realise asset values, the global provider of ocean-based freight... Read more
The fifth meeting of the Special Tripartite Committee (STC) of the MLC concluded last week with some... Read more