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Description
The project was developed in response to the need for digital transformation driving the maritime industry, in order to meet environmental legislation, energy efficiency, safety, security, and human-factor challenges of the sector.
This project involves the development of an innovative, cloud-based ICT platform for maritime performance, named EcoMaRE. The platform aims to manage emission control and optimize fuel usage in maritime transport. EcoMaRE will allow ship systems and engines to autonomously modify their operations to meet various requirements and regulations, optimizing fuel consumption, energy efficiency, and emissions.
The project partners SINTEF Ocean AS, Hydrus Engineering S.A., and Danaos Management Consultants S.A. will contribute their expertise and “know-how” in (a) ICT technologies such as Data Analytics, IoT exploitation, DSS use, visualization tools, maritime optimization algorithms and tools, (b) Blue growth best practices and methodologies, and (c) Circular economy approach methods and solid market growth strategies.
The EcoMaRE solution will be tested and validated in a real maritime environment using operational maritime systems. The project is expected to increase the competitiveness of the project promoter and two Greek partners, who will also benefit from the projects output, as well as creating six new jobs. Additionally, the project aims to strengthen the bilateral relations between Greek and Norwegian entities, by fostering knowledge transfer in the blue growth and maritime sector through the shared development of the EcoMaRE platform.
Summary of project results
Stringent government regulations on improved efficiency in ship operations as well as recent pandemic-related disruptions demand a sector digitalization. Digital innovation is crucial in transforming maritime traditional processes into more productive and efficient activities. The implementation of digital services may introduce not only optimal use of energy sources, minimizing its environmental impacts but also promising business and market strategies and new job opportunities. In fact, digitalization can be a driving force in the modern maritime sector by increasing safety, enhancing working conditions, improving environmental performance in a cost and time effective manner.
This project is a response to this and aimed at optimization of fuel consumption, energy efficiency and emissions control management, in full respect to the implementation of the requirements of maritime sector global regulations as well as considering applications of circular economy concept in the maritime field.
The project consisted in developing an ICT cloud-based innovative maritime performance platform for emission control management and fuel optimisation in maritime transport. The platform enables ship systems and engines to autonomously adjust their operation based on a number of requirements and regulations in order to achieve optimisation in terms of fuel consumption, energy efficiency, and emissions.
In order to decipher the platform''s requirements and design, an analysis of the needs of the maritime market as well as the stakeholders'' requirements was first performed. Based on the analyzed user requirements and the functional specifications, the platform’s technical specifications were designed. The data collection module was developed, which includes mechanisms to collect, aggregate and exploit a variety of data set. Advanced analytics and Machine Learning algorithms were developed, to facilitate vessel monitoring and management. A service was also developed to monitor & predict fuel consumption, and tools were developed for the users to monitor and evaluate vessel performance. A fuel optimization (scenarios) service was implemented to suggest fuel reduction strategies. Moreover, a module was developed to estimate how a planned sea passage will impact a vessel’s Carbon Intensity Indicator. The modules and services developed were integrated into a unified software platform. The platform was evaluated by 2 end-users, the 2 Greek project partners.
The EcoMaRE project had a direct environmental impact via the provision of more energy efficient processes and GHG emission control systems. Specifically, it built an efficient and sustainable ICT-based solution for fuel consumption optimisation, energy efficiency and emissions'' control management, in full respect of the implementation of the requirements of maritime sector regulations as well as considering applications of circular economy concept in the maritime field.
Summary of bilateral results
The project enhanced cooperation between Greek and Norwegian entities, and enabled to promote new business strategies and deepen the blue economic interdependence of the two countries. The Donor Partner was involved in the activity regarding the impact of sea passages on a vessel''s carbon intensity indicator (CII). SINTEF Ocean used its existing model to calculate vessels'' CII scores and further utilized machine learning to estimate CII scores on planned voyages.