Ship owners, managers, operators, flag states and training academies have partaken in extensive discussions on how to create a single, shared data environment for ship, shore, traffic control and training schools, during the closed forum organised by Transas at the CMA Shipping 2016 this month, the company said in its press release.
This convening follows the launch of the Transas Harmonised Eco System of Integrated Solutions (THESIS) vision in January this year. In launching this vision Transas committed to developing a data infrastructure for the maritime industry, with the maritime industry. The THESIS concept will manifest as an industry-wide, unified data system for information sharing across all sectors, enabling users to make better decisions, improve operations and deliver next generation training. It will facilitate ship operations as a coordinated enterprise, with ship and shore based operations centers working together, on shared information platforms.
"Transas will be able to create the environment, connect the systems and supply the tools, but the industry has to adopt the new way of working. This is why it is critical to develop the platform with the industry itself," says Frank Coles, Transas CEO. He continues: "However, it is not just technology or a data infrastructure that needs to be developed, it is a new attitude within the maritime industry. This represents some of our biggest challenges."
It is these challenges that were deliberated during the inaugural closed forum. The role of the ship crew, particularly the master and superintendent and how working relationships with onshore staff might change were central to all discussions. The gathering of industry minds also identified that the future of fleet resource management and shared responsibility is not a question of if, but rather when. It was confirmed that the provision of intelligent support and the minimisation of administrative burden are key foundations upon which any unified data system should be developed. Also, under consideration was the role of flag states and port state control. It was acknowledged that such a system could positively impact traditional practices in these fields as well as in ship operations themselves.
The forum in Stamford, Connecticut was the first in a series of global industry feedback meetings and surveys that Transas will host throughout 2016 to drive the THESIS vision from development to reality.