Digital solutions company Marlink has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Singapore’s Alpha Ori Technologies (AOT) to support shipowners, ship managers and charterers in collecting data and providing advanced analytics they need to improve vessel performance and monitor health of onboard systems.
The MoU will see the two entities cooperate to bring vessel performance improvements using AOT’s SmartShip and Marlink’s BridgeLink platforms, optimising services for delivery via Marlink’s hybrid network, enjoying streamlined and secure delivery of data and resources. By combining improved navigational safety and voyage performance data with predictive maintenance and digital services, these two companies believe they will deliver a best-in-class service experience for shipowners, vessel operators and managers across the maritime industry.
SmartShip is a digital platform that delivers real time analytics to increase operational efficiency. AOT’s goal is to provide insights that unlock investment opportunities to secure the most promising returns. Easy to use, it enables faster decision making in day-to-day operations. BridgeLink is a solution that connects to any data-enabled equipment installed onboard ship, collecting data which is saved to the cloud for analysis by the client or third parties. By streamlining the data collection process from onboard systems it can support competitiveness by maximising vessel availability.
Feedback collected by AOT and Marlink suggests that the majority of shipping companies will not hire IoT and data specialists or make investments on in-house IT infrastructure to capture the operational data they need; preferring to use off-the-shelf analytical apps that will provide insights and recommendations based on turned contextualised data into actionable information.
Nicolas Furgé, President, Digital, Marlink said: “The value of data to shipping’s digitalisation and decarbonisation process cannot be underestimated but not every shipowner has the resources to manage the capture of data or to turn this into performance information. This partnership with AOT gives shipowners a platform that can manage both vessel operations and maintenance planning, helping to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions.”
AOT Co-CEO Bala Sankaran said: “It is imperative for shipowners and operators to leverage real time digital data and make decisions based on real time analytics and we see a sense of urgency and an upward trend in adoption driven by the sustainability agenda the maritime sector has embraced. This partnership with Marlink will help us in scaling and leveraging on Marlink’s data acquisition platform for a faster SaaS deployment.”
