2nd SMART4SEA Athens Forum

Panel # 1 – Smart Perspectives I

 

Apostolos Belokas, Founder & Managing Editor, SAFETY4SEA

Apostolos is a Maritime Safety, Quality & Environmental Expert, Consultant, Trainer and Project Manager with more than a 20-year background in shipping as Technical, Marine, Safety & Training Superintendent and Consultant. He entered the industry back in early 90’s as Engineering Superintendent with a leading ship manager operating a mixed fleet of bulk and oil/chemical tankers. He then shifted to regulatory compliance and QHSE as superintendent and later as a Consultant and Trainer. Apostolos has successfully completed a wide range of QHSE projects including 250+ management system projects (ISM/ISO 9001-14001-18001/TMSA/MLC), 500 vessel and office audits to various standards and he has trained more than 8,000 people in a wide variety of QHSE subjects. He has also presented and chaired to more than 40 conferences. He holds Mechanical Engineering Bachelor and Master’s specialising in Energy & Environment and Master’s Degree in Maritime Business and Business Administration (MBA), all of them awarded with distinction. Apostolos is the Managing Director of SQE MARINE, SQE ACADEMY and Managing Editor of SAFETY4SEA and GREEN4SEA.

 

Drew Brandy, Senior Vice President Market Strategy, Inmarsat Maritime

Drew Brandy was appointed Senior Vice President Market Strategy for Inmarsat Maritime in January 2015. He is currently responsible for setting the strategy for the business unit with regards to vertical segmentation, all marketing programmes, and the development of the partner channel. Since joining Inmarsat in 2005, Drew has held a variety of positions, principally focused on delivery of the broadband portfolio across the Enterprise verticals while rolling out new products and services to drive significant growth across the land-based business. Previously, he gained extensive experience working in both North America and Europe, holding positions with Bell Canada, British Telecom and Cable & Wireless ranging from business development to corporate strategy. Drew holds an undergraduate degree in sociology and communications from York University in Canada and an MBA from Henley Management College.

 

Giampiero Soncini, Director, Volaris Marine Division

Giampiero Soncini has been currently appointed the Director of Volaris Marine Division, which is a new Business Unit, created with the aim of enlarging the portfolio of Volaris owned companies in the maritime vertical. His task is to select companies to buy, drive the acquisition process and manage them during the transition phase towards the Volaris Group. Previously, he has been for over than ten years the Chief Executive Officer of the SpecTec Group, a Holding specialized in IT for shipping and offshore, with 20 offices worldwide, and 300 employees. His main areas of competence include: Information Technology and Communication in shipping; Computerized Planned Maintenance Systems for Ships, plants and oil rigs noise and vibration control management of offices and companies; ship building and ship management sales and marketing. Giampiero finds the world to be his home; he travels for work up to 9 months which is something that particularly enjoys giving him a unique experience and vision of the whole world at the same time. He loves music, of all types but especially blues and rock. His passion for music has allowed him to meet and befriend several well-known performers such as the Deep Purple, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Glenn Hughes, Buddy Whittington and more. In his scarce free time, Giampiero is the manager of Minus One, Cyprus best known rock band. Giampiero is from Italy but currently lives in Limassol, Cuprus.

 

Tasos Makris, IT Director, Gourdomichalis Maritime

Mr. Makris holds a BSc in Physics and a MSc in Computer Science and has worked in the Health sector in the UK and in the Greek Industry Automation Sector before joining the Maritime sector in 1993. He is interested in Human Computer Interface and Software Usability principles, as a means to improve the quality of software and (therefore) human productivity and quality of life on board vessels. He is a founding member and member of BOD of AMMITEC (www.ammitec.org) and a member of the Usability Professionals Association (UXPA). Specialties: Project Management, Maritime Systems, Satellite Data Communications, Maritime ERP, HCI Design, Usability Evaluation, UX, Simplicity

Panel # 2 – Smart Perspectives II

 

Frank Coles, Chief Executive Officer, Transas

Frank Coles started his career as a merchant navy deck officer and qualified as a Master Mariner, Class One after 12 years at sea. After leaving the sea, Frank gained an LLM in Legal Aspects of Maritime Affairs from Cardiff University, Wales and spent 5 years practicing maritime law. In 1995, Frank joined Pacific Basin Bulk Shipping (PB) as Operations Director for 50 ships. After PB has decided to invest in Rydex, a company specializing in maritime communications, Frank Coles became the CEO of a newly acquired enterprise. After that Frank joined Sperry Marine as a Vice President of Business Development and Information technology. In September 1999 Frank became COO of Globe Wireless LLC. In 2003 Frank was appointed CEO, President and a member of the Board. In 2011 Frank joined Inmarsat as the Director GX Maritime, and in December 2011 he was appointed the President of the Inmarsat Maritime business unit. In September 2015, Frank Coles joined Transas as the CEO and member of the Board of Directors. His key aim at Transas is to create an ecosystem of harmonized integrated solutions in safety, navigation, training and ship operation, that will enhance ship and shore integration.

Howard Hughes, Chief Technology Officer, Tototheo Group

Howard Hughes has taken the role of Chief Technology Officer for Tototheo Group in Cyprus. Prior to working with Satellite Communication, Howard has over 12 years working in IT and Telecommunications. He has worked with diverse and leading companies, providing engineering and Project Management expertise. Passionate about communication, it was a natural step to work with leading Satellite Communication provider, Inmarsat. During his 10 year tenure, Howard took the advantage of his knowledge to provide training, solution design, product management and service development, with the latter focussing on Inmarsat’s ground breaking Global Xpress product. Howard now divides his time between the UK and Cyprus.

 

Jordan Wylie, Communications Officer, Be Cyber Aware at Sea Campaign

Jordan Wylie is an experienced maritime security and risk management professional whose career started with 10 years’ service in the British Military as an intelligence and reconnaissance specialist, before entering the private maritime security sector in 2008. Jordan has provided maritime security consultancy services to many of the world’s largest ship owners and is a retained consultant by several flag states, providing guidance on piracy, terrorism, organised crime at sea and the maritime cyber security approach. Jordan has trained over 10,000 seafarers globally and also completed over 100 missions on board as a security team leader during the height of Somali based piracy. Jordan holds a BA (Hons) in Marine Risk Management and an MA in Maritime Security where his much talked about thesis subject was; ‘Cyber Security; The Unknown Threat At Sea’, which was also the catalyst for the free to join global maritime and offshore cyber awareness campaign that he and his team are driving throughout the shipping industry – BE CYBER AWARE AT SEA www.becyberawareatsea.com Jordan is the founder of JWC International, a specialist marine consultancy provider, the President of the Security & Risk Management Alumni and a Non-Executive Director at the Company Security Officers (CSO) Alliance.

 

Eric Knaapen, Regional Sales Manager Europe, Workflow Solutions Honeywell Sensing & Productivity Solutions

Eric started his career at Tulip Computers in 1984 as PC and printer specialist, a Dutch manufacturer for Personal Computers and distributor for printers. In 1994, Eric started to build a special division for TCP Benelux BV, a distribution company specialized in Retail-, Point of Sale-, Auto-ID- & RFID solutions. Eric became in 2005 one of TCP’s owners and responsible as a Sales and marketing director. In 2008 the company merged with PC-PoS UK and Eric got his 1^st European role as a Sales Director Northern Europe. 2013, Eric Joined the 2^nd largest global Auto-ID and POS distribution company BlueStar, Eric became VP of Sales Northern Europe. Eric holds a graduate in Sales & Marketing and is fluently in English, German and Dutch. In 2015 Eric accepted a European role within Honeywell, working together with major companies to improve and optimize current maintenance and inspection processes by usage of Honeywell’s Maintenance and Inspection by voice solution.

 

Panel # 3 – e-Navigation

 

Torsten Galaske, Service Sales Manager, Marine Solutions, Wärtsilä Electrical and Automation

Torsten Galaske is Service Sales Manager, Marine Solutions at Wärtsilä Electrical and Automation. He has been working in the marine industry for more than 20 years, most of the time for his present company Wärtsilä SAM Electronics. After completing his studies at the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences with a degree in Ship Operation and the nautical and technical license, he started as a product manager for integrated navigation systems and moved after eight years into the sales department.

 

 

Ulf Siwe, Communications Officer, STM Validation, Swedish Maritime Administration

STM Validation is an EU-project more than 50 partners in 13 countries and budget of 43M euro. Mr. Ulf Siwe M.Sc. is the Communications Officer of the project. The project is validating the Sea Traffic Management concept on 300 ships and in 13 ports, testing real-time information sharing to authorized relevant parties in the maritime transport chain. Ulf is the author of scientific papers in the field and an appreciated presenter at conferences.

 

 

Konstantinos Seretis, Projects and Product Development Manager, SRH Marine Electronics S.A.

Mr. Kostas Seretis is the Projects & Product Development Manager of SRH Marine Electronics SA. He completed his studies in the Electrical Engineer department of the Polytechnic School of Patras and continued with his MSc in Engineering in Power Electronics & Drives from the University of Birmingham. During last 15 years Mr. Seretis has obtained important experience in the field of marine electronics, having undertaken various positions such as Sales Manager, Project Manager, General Manager of Marine Division, Operations and Marine Manager and completed significant sales and projects activities.

 

Willy Zeiler, Marketing & Communications Manager, NAVTOR AS

Willy Zeiler has a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and market economy. He worked for several years in the advertising industry as an Art Director and later as Managing Director. For several years he has been involved in the maritime industry holding different positions in marine electronic companies. He was one of the cofounders of NAVTOR back in 2011 where he now holds the position as Marketing & Communications Manager. He is an avid sailor and possesses a navigator’s certificate.

 

Panel # 4 – Energy Efficiency

 

Peter Mantel, Managing Director, BMT Smart Ltd

Peter Mantel is Managing Director of BMT SMART Ltd. A Marine Engineering graduate, he has been involved in the global marine industry for over 30 years. A graduate from the Dutch Maritime Institute Willem Barentsz, Peter served the Dutch Merchant Marine for over 8 years. Once ashore, he continued his maritime career and has worked in the industry in various senior management positions both in the USA and Europe. Peter has acquired over 20 years of senior marine management experience, and brings a wealth of expertise to BMT SMART having been one of the Digital Navigation pioneers.

 

Antony Vourdachas, Senior Engineer, ABS

Antony Vourdachas joined ABS in April 2014 as a Principal Vessel Performance Analyst in the Piraeus office. Working for the Vessel Performance team in the Operational and Environmental Management department, he is part of the team responsible for providing the vessel performance analysis services to ship owners and operators and designing and updating the relevant software. In addition, he provides assistance to members of the Environmental team on MRV and ballast water issues. He started his career as a Design and Production Engineer at the Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth and moved on to become a Research Associate at the School of Marine Science and Technology at Newcastle University involved in a European Ballast Water project (MARTOB). Prior to joining ABS, he worked for OSG in a number of technical positions in project engineering and planned maintenance. Antony holds a B.Eng. in Small Craft Engineering and an M.Res. in Marine Engineering from the School of Marine Science and Technology at Newcastle University, England.

 

Bastian Gehnke, Vessel and Fleet performance Technical Product Manager, INTERSCHALT maritime systems

“Water is my element” says Bastian Gehnke, who started his career in the waters as a voluntary lifeguard at the German Lifeguard Association DLRG before he decided in 2007 to continue on the waters with a degree in maritime and ship operations onboard of commercial vessels of a German shipping company. After earning nautical and technical licenses in shipping at the seafaring school in Flensburg, he earned the graduate degree in maritime logistics and ship operations by the University of Flensburg. In 2014, Bastian joined INTERSCHALT maritime systems as a technical product manager in the area of vessel and fleet performance. Beside developing the dynamic trim optimization model, he decisively contributed to the design of the vessel and fleet performance management software Bluetracker.

 

Panos Theodossopoulos, PhD, CEO, Propulsion Analytics

Panos is a Founding Partner & the CEO of Propulsion Analytics. He has held several management positions in Sales, Business Development, Services and Marketing, in the ICT sector, both in Greece and abroad. He has served as Director of Public Sector Sales and Director of Technology at Microsoft Hellas, where he worked for eight years and, more recently, he was General Manager of the Cloud Division of SingularLogic and then held the Country Manager in Logicom Solutions in Greece. He holds a M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University, Boston, and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College, London.

ABS
ABS, a leading international classification society, is guided by its mission to promote security of life, property and the natural environment. ABS has a long and proud association with the Greek ship owning community and continues to support its current fleet and future fleet development. As the Greek fleet has expanded and diversified, ABS has continued to expand and develop its services to Greek ship owners. ABS is a technical partner providing traditional classification services as well as on-the-ground technical services in asset performance, energy efficiency, environmental performance and lifecycle management. Delivering practical and innovative solutions, ABS supports the Greek shipping industry in meeting today’s demands as well as future challenges. Greek shipping operations are supported through the local Athens office as well as a global network of surveyors, engineers, researchers and regulatory specialists who work in more than 200 offices in 70 countries around the world.

Webiste: www.eagle.org

 

Arcadia Shipmanagement Co Ltd

ARCADIA Shipmanagement provides safe and reliable transportation of oil by sea, through a modern fleet, setting top objectives for Safety, Quality and Environmental protection. To achieve these, Arcadia is dedicated to develop and sustain a strong working relationship with all parties involved in International oil trade, based upon mutual trust and reliability.

Safety is enhanced by establishing a risk assessment system for hazard identification, risk management and control, adressing guidance for the prevention of errors, hazardous situations and incidents, through reporting and investigation procedures and providing training of personnel at Company’s in-house maritime training centre and by attending externally provided courses.

Quality is maintained by undertaking auditing and evaluation process, with commitment towards the continual improvement of HSQE performance, through setting and measuring various Key Performance Indicators, analysing N/C reports, reviewing findings from internal audits ashore and onboard.

The Environment is protected by preserving and whenever possible, further reducing the burden on the environment by setting and achieving tougher voluntary standards, such as Green Award. Moreover, by aiming for the reduction of identified environmental impacts of Company activities to air, sea and land, to the possible extend and seeking to conserve energy and materials, through recycling and waste reduction programs.

Website: www.arcadiasm.gr

 

BMT Smart

BMT SMART is the specialist Fleet and Vessel performance monitoring company within BMT Group, the leading name in global marine consultancy.

Our SMART ^FLEET management system allows you to check your fleet performance in an instant with Fleet view and focus on the vessels that really matter. The Vessel view highlights the reasons for changes in performance be they linked to the vessel itself (hull, propeller and engine condition), the operation (trim, speed profile and routing) or weather conditions (wind, waves, current, swell, etc.)

• Cost-effective Fleet Performance Management
• Significant time savings both on-board and ashore
• Manage the Performance of your whole fleet, whether using automated data or simply noon reports
• Visualise weather impact on forecast vessel performance (predicted power, fuel consumption and RPM)
• Ensure the voyages remain “on budget” and “on schedule”
• Generate up to date speed-fuel curves for specific weather conditions
• Flexible, concise and future proofed data collection for emissions reporting including EEOI, ECA, MRV

BMT SMART Ltd, Spectrum Building, 1600 Parkway, Whiteley, Fareham, Hampshire PO15 7AH, United Kingdom.

Tel: +44 (0)1489 889260. / Email: [email protected]

Website: www.bmtsmart.com

 

Dorian LPG

Dorian LPG is a pure-play LPG shipping company and a leading owner and operator of modern VLGCs. Dorian LPG currently has four modern VLGCs and one pressurized LPG vessel on the water. Dorian LPG has 18 ECO VLGC newbuildings due for delivery in 2014, 2015 and 2016 from HHI and Daewoo Shipping and Marine Engineering Ltd., including the 13 that it acquired from Scorpio Tankers. Dorian LPG has offices in Connecticut, London, and Piraeus.Dorian LPG is incorporated in the Republic of The Marshall Islands.

Website: www.dorianlpg.com

 

Inmarsat

Inmarsat sets the standard in maritime communications with the world’s most advanced commercial global mobile satellite network. With a rich heritage spanning more than 35 years, Inmarsat enables the maritime industry to stay connected with its highly-reliable broadband satellite network and its range of leading voice and data services. Driving innovation in communications, Inmarsat is continually investing in new technology to shape the future of the connected ship and build maritime communities. When it matters most, thousands of vessels depend on Inmarsat to enhance operational efficiency, promote crew welfare and maximise safety at sea.

Website: www.inmarsat.com

 

INTERSCHALT Maritime Systems

INTERSCHALT maritime systems GmbH, based in Hamburg and Flensburg (Germany), provides cutting edge software solutions for carriers such as loading computer MACS3 and stowage planning software StowMan as well as fleet performance management software Bluetracker. In 2017, the INTERSCHALT software division will become part of Navis, Oakland USA

Website: www.interschalt.com

 

HEMEXPO

Under a strong competitive environment, Greek companies that manufacture and export marine equipment of high technological added value have decided to join their forces. In order to achieve their planning for a powerful opening and potential exporting to shipyards, they moved on to form HEMEXPO – Hellenic Marine Equipment Manufacturers and Exporters.

HEMEXPO involves the larger marine equipment companies in Greece and thereby strengthens the links between the industry’s leading companies through sharing of market intelligence, providing a vehicle for greater cooperation with ship-owners and shipyards.

Website: www.hemexpo.gr

 

Mobile Technology

Mobile Technology was founded in 2003 by established counterparts of the Computing Engineering field. The company offers a wide range of Data Collection Systems and Mobile Computer Systems for industrial environments and delivers complete and effective mobile solutions aiming at the following business processes : Route Accounting, Proof of Delivery, Field Service, Warehouse Management, Retail, Law Enforcement and RFID. Namely, Mobile Technology merchandizes electronic AIDC equipment and network communication systems specializing in Automatic Data Collection. Moreover, it provides full technical support, spare parts and expandable supplies of products originated from international pioneers like INTERMEC TECHNOLOGIES. The company undertakes the development, installation and support of mobile solutions directly aiming at the improvement of business processes and the enhancement of productivity.

Website: www.mobiletechnology.gr

 

NAVTOR

NAVTOR is a market leader in the provision of innovative e-navigation solutions, services and technology for the maritime sector.

All of NAVTOR’s products and services are developed in line with the company philosophy of simplifying tasks, increasing efficiency and improving operations. Through the application of cutting edge digital technology, NAVTOR’s team makes life easier for navigators, and safer, clearer and more efficient for shipowners and operators.

The firm was established in 2011 and is headquartered in Egersund, Norway, with subsidiaries in St Petersburg, Russia (NAVTOR Russia LLC), Singapore (NAVTOR Singapore Ltd. Ptd.), Japan (NAVTOR Japan K.K.) and Sweden (NAVTOR NAUTIC AB).

Website: www.navtor.com

 

Propulsion Analytics

Propulsion Analytics is an innovative company in the area of performance monitoring and energy efficiency for the maritime industry and has been set up with the vision to apply state-of-the-art technology in helping the world shipping community deliver cleaner, cheaper and safer transport of people and goods. Propulsion Analytics offers products and services focusing on engine performance monitoring, through the use of virtual models and smart data analytics, for performance assessment, fault diagnosis and optimisation in service. The company is rapidly expanding its activities in Greece and abroad, already serving a wide range of needs in the shipping industry, ranging from large containership operators to tanker and bulker companies.

Website: www.propulsionanalytics.com

 

RISK4SEA

RISK4SEA objective is to foster Safety and Environmental Excellence by minimizing inspection risk and enhancing the quality and reputation of any ship or operator. We will gather, assess and analyse information available from various sources to provide the necessary insight and analytics in order to prepare company and ships for port calls.

Website: www.risk4sea.com

 

SKILL4SEA

SKILL4SEA is a new service range consisting of the following:

• CBT Library
• Ship Specific Familiarisation
• Tailor Made CBT
• Skills Assessment

Website: www.skill4sea.com

 

 

SpecTec

SpecTec is a multinational company established in 1985, specialised in the offering of Asset Management Software and services for the Maritime and Energy markets. Our software AMOS (Asset Management Operating System) meets the most demanding Fleet Management processes. AMOS is the best choice for Maintenance, Procurement, Quality, Safety, Crewing software.

Website: www.spectec.net

 

SQE MARINE

SQE MARINE is the dedicated Consulting Services Provider of the SQE Group. Mission of SQE MARINE is to provide Maritime Safety, Quality & Environmental Consulting, operating a DNV–GL Certified Training Center and a LLOYDS ISO 9001 certified management system.

At a glance:

• Established 1998
• 10,000 plus Ship Manuals Developed
• 500 plus Management Systems Developed
• 1000 Plus Clients served

Website: www.sqemarine.com

 

SQE ACADEMY

SQE ACADEMY is the dedicated Training Provider of the SQE Group. Mission of SQE ACADEMY is to provide Maritime Safety, Quality & Environmental Training, operating a DNV-GL Certified Training Center and a LLOYDS ISO 9001 certified management system.

Offering at a glance:

• 45+ Safety, Quality & Environmental related courses
• Open Courses, In House Courses, Distance & E-learning
• 10,000 plus Training Delegates

Website: www.sqeacademy.com

 

SRH Marine Electronics

SRH Marine Electronics S.A. is a well-established company in the maritime market since 1996 offering full services on sales, technical support and training for Navigation (including e-Navigation integrated solution), Radio communication, Automation, Spares, Retrofit, Repairs, Security, Safety and other marine equipment. It is based in Piraeus.

It has a growing client list, co-operates with almost all Greek shipping companies, and is supported by a global network of well-known manufacturers and service suppliers, authorized by all major classification societies, while recently has jointly opened with Aage Hempel a new office in Cyprus.

SRH is the exclusive Thrane & Thrane OSC (Onboard Service Center) in Greece and official representative of more than 30 international brands

Website: www.srhmar.com

 

STM Validation

The STM Validation Project aims to demonstrate the STM (Sea Traffic Management) concept in large-scale test beds in both the Nordic and Mediterranean Seas, encompassing around 300 vessels, 13 ports and 5 shore based service centres as well as using the European Maritime Simulator Network. The key strategic enablers of STM will be tested and validated. The STM Validation Project has a total budget of approximately 43 million euros. 50% is co-financed by the EU (Connecting Europe Facility/Motorways of the Sea)

Facts about STM project:

• Over 50 partners
• 13 countries.
• Private, public and academic sector involved
• 43 million Euro budget
• Co-financed by the European Union.
• Starting 2015 and running till the end of 2018

Website: www.stmvalidation.eu

 

Tototheo Group

Tototheo Group is one of the first and considered as the leading supplier of high-quality sophisticated on-board electronic equipment in Cyprus. With the headquarters strategically located in Limassol and offices in Athens, Singapore and Dubai, the Group continues to grow with new locations and services offered worldwide. As an active member of the Cyprus Shipping Community, Tototheo is a member of several local and international organizations. Sharing knowledge and experiences is a basic principle of the company which allows us to grow, dynamically respond to the market needs and even foresee and affect trends and changes.

Established in Limassol the Group specializes in innovative, efficient and functional solutions in the fields of satellite and radio communication, automation, navigation systems, ship repairs and spare parts supply. Every day we support our customers with the supply and installation of high quality on-board electronic equipment, maintenance and integration engineer duties, security and surveillance for the equipment in use, online tracking solutions and management tool, consultancy services.

Our fast and reliable service through a world-wide network of qualified partners and branches along the international shipping routes enables us to serve merchant fleets, the offshore industry, the fishing industry and governmental organizations.

Website: www.tototheo.com

 

Transas

Transas offers best-in-class navigation systems and integrated bridge solutions, recognised training and simulation solutions, renowned VTMS and coastal surveillance systems, fleet and port management systems, onboard and individual decision support systems for professional crew and pilots, as well as popular applications for leisure and the marine mass market. Transas operates more than 20 proprietary regional offices as well as its network of partners serving Transas customers globally. Being a trendsetter and visionary for the market over the last 25 years Transas promotes its own concept of e-Navigation as the future model for Marine IT integrating all elements of the marine industry and all systems into one information environment.

Website: www.transas.com

 

Wärtsilä

Wärtsilä is a global leader in advanced technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising sustainable innovation and total efficiency, Wärtsilä maximises the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers.

In 2015, Wärtsilä’s net sales totalled EUR 5 billion with approximately 18,800 employees. The company has operations in over 200 locations in more than 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki.

 

Website: www.wartsila.com

The 2017 SMART4SEA Conference & Awards, a PRO BONO event, successfully concluded on Tuesday 31st of January 2017 in Eugenides Foundation, Athens attracting 460 delegates from 15 countries representing a total of 240 organizations.

Sixteen (16) global experts presented key smart shipping challenges and introduced solutions for facilitating industry’s digitalization. Speakers’ presentations were focused on the important issues concerning shipping’s revolution into a smart sector such as cyber security, e-navigation, autonomous ships, big data and new technology applications. The inaugural presentation of the SMART4SEA Awards took place at the closing of the forum within the scope of awarding industry’s organizations and associations who have distinguished for their excellence, innovation and technology activities.

The 2017 SMART4SEA Conference & Awards was organized by SAFETY4SEA and sponsored by ABS, Arcadia Shipmanagement, BMT Smart, Dorian LPG, Inmarsat, INTERSCHALT Maritime Systems, HEMEXPO, Mobile Technology, NAVTOR, Propulsion Analytics, RISK4SEA, SKILL4SEA, SpecTec, SQEMARINE, SQEACADEMY, SRH Marine Electronics, STM Validation, Tototheo Group, Transas and Wärtsilä.

2017 SMART4SEA Awards

The winners of the 2017 SAFETY4SEA Awards were announced at the end of the forum rewarding companies which demonstrated remarkable performance towards smart shipping either in excellence, innovation or technology category. The winners namely are:

Inmarsat received the SMART4SEA Excellence Award, sponsored by SRH Marine, for its high-speed satellite broadband service, Fleet Xpress, which changes crew lives onboard through greater connectivity with family & friends, video on-demand, social media, online training, telemedicine and measures to shift the administrative burden back to shore. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: BMT SMART, Furuno, Maersk Maritime Technology and Rolls-Royce.

Monalisa 2 STM Validation received the SMART4SEA Innovation Award, sponsored by HEMEXPO, for introducing smart solutions for sharing information data which result in efficient, safe and environmentally friendly maritime transport in the EU while at the same time reduce administrative burdens. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: Kongsberg Maritime, Laros by Prisma Electronics, Marine Traffic and North of England P&I Club.

Transas received the SMART4SEA Technology Award, sponsored by Tototheo Group, for offering a new simulation concept THESIS (Transas Harmonised Eco System of Integrated Solutions) which facilitates ship, shore and ports to access real-time operation critical data simultaneously that allows for decision-making and responsibility to be shared. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: ABS Nautical Systems, Danaos, Nanophos and SpecTec.

2017 SMART4SEA Conference

Mr. Apostolos Belokas, Founder and Managing Editor of SAFETY4SEA and Panel Moderator, opened the forum by welcoming speakers and delegates and outlining the objectives of the event towards fostering smart and sustainable shipping. Presentations were given in four panels and ended with a round table discussion and exchange with the audience.

Panel 1: Smart Shipping Perspectives

Apostolos Belokas, Founder & Managing Editor, SAFETY4SEA, opened the forum presenting the results of “the Smart Shipping Survey’’ which revealed that cyber security, crew training using new technologies & software, energy management & emissions monitoring, e-navigation and ECDIS are the major smart challenges that the industry has to deal with. Mr. Belokas argued that there is need for the shipping to build cyber awareness momentum to move forward. Regarding autonomous shipping, the survey showed that the majority of the participants believe that it will become a reality for the industry beyond 2030. Mr. Belokas commented that two years ago many would argue that industry is far away from this vision and highlighted that autonomous shipping is now coming fast and it is a one-way street.

Drew Brandy, Senior Vice President Market Strategy, Inmarsat Maritime, gave a presentation on ‘’Embracing a new world of smarter connected shipping”. He noted that as maritime communication is going through a revolution, the possibility of a truly connected ship and seamless real-time integration with shore-based operations is no longer just concept, but a reality. He therefore explained how connectivity at sea is more than just about communication and how the industry is embracing a new world of safer, smarter, greener and more efficient shipping.

Giampiero Soncini, Director, Volaris Marine Division, shared his concerns on “The present and future of Fleet management Systems“. He explained that currently the idea of crewless vessels has become a serious one, from a laughable topic, with large companies and Classification Societies looking deeply and really into it. On the other hand, technology is moving fast and at times it is somewhat pitiful to look into the world of shipping, compared to other similar transportation sectors. However, there are still so many companies reluctant to embrace technology or they show sheer ignorance of the advantages. Mr Soncini argued that his 30 year-old experience has shown that having a computerized Fleet Management system onboard will be of value. Yet, the lesson is clear: sooner or later, those who have not embraced technology will disappear.

Tasos Makris, IT Director, Gourdomichalis Maritime, focused on the “Software Quality in the Maritime Sector”. Without any doubt, he said, the quality of software on board vessels needs improvements: less bugs, easier to use, easier to learn, easier to remember, preventing errors, help stored locally on board, better facilities to report errors. Mr Makris noted that the advances made on the maritime communications and bridge equipment during the last decade, have not been matched so far by improvements on the on-board software. He referred to a research conducted by AMMITEC among its members which gathered the 15 most important guidelines that apply to maritime software with the aim to enhance quality. Concluding his presentation, he informed the delegates that AMMITEC intends to start a campaign to raise stakeholders’ awareness of the benefits of quality software onboard and ashore.

Panel 2: Smart Perspectives II

Frank Coles, CEO, Transas, provided insight into “The Smart Connected Ship, Big Data and Cybersecurity towards Smart shipping”. Mr Coles pointed out that with all the talk about smart ships, automation and even unmanned ships there remains three key elements that need to be resolved: the ecosystem in which they would operate, the connectivity that they require and the overall cybersecurity picture. The first is currently dysfunctional, the second is expensive and not fit for purpose and the third is simply open and exposed and misunderstood. Mr. Coles urged to rethink the whole concept of ship operations by learning from other industries, dropping some traditional concepts and accepting challenge of change. He further discussed the current state, the risks, requirements for resolution and suggested a new eco system that will enable shipping in the future.

Howard Hughes, Chief Technology Officer, Tototheo Group, presented the current “Cyber Security Trends” noting that even the name has been changed over the years; formerly it was known as IT Security, or to some, just the use of a Firewall. Whatever the name, the seriousness of the subject has intensified. Now with everyday access to the internet and social media, propagation of misinformation and harmful contents can be passed around with great ease, he added. A Firewall is no longer the total solution. In his presentation, Mr. Hughes covered the activity in the world of cyber security for the past 12 months, and investigated how this has affected the maritime world.

Jordan Wylie, Communications Officer, Be Cyber Aware at Sea Campaign, gave a presentation entitled ‘’Is Online the New Frontline?’’ where he highlighted the importance of the human factor in managing the cyber risk at sea. With most cyber and information security breaches on board being a direct result of human erro, Mr Wylie informed the audience that awareness and training should be the starting point for all ship owners as we advance further into the digital era of shipping. Mr Wylie spoke about the Be Cyber Aware At Sea campaign and demonstrated that ship-owners do not need to invest huge amounts of capital to start mitigating this emerging risk, they just need to change their attitude towards cyber and address the challenges from the board room through to the engine room, he stated that online is the new frontline and fortune favors the prepared.

Eric Knaapen, Regional Sales Manager Europe, Honeywell Sensing & Productivity Solutions, focused on the “Future of Maintenance & Inspection”. He highlighted that for effective maintenance and inspection there is need for defined process and steps, structured data input & output, hand-busy & eyes busy environment and finally guidance & documentation. During his presentation, Mr Knaapen provided a good sense of how his company solution is able to help and improve business performance with a specific focus around various workflow processes.

Panel 3: e-Navigation

Torsten Galaske, Service Sales Manager, Marine Solutions, Wärtsilä Electrical and Automation, investigated the “Future of safe navigation“. He noted that most navigational accidents due to human error have a root cause in cognitive workload, information overload and automation. Therefore, he suggested, the focus should be on new ways to collect, file and merge information, present information unambiguously and have adaptive supportive automation. He also said that future navigation includes augmented reality and bridge design supporting Bridge Resource Management.

Ulf Siwe, Communications Officer, STM Validation, explained the importance of “Containerisation of maritime information“. Mr Siwe stated that containers have revolutionized the efficiency in goods handling. It was the standardization in the 60s that made it possible for the whole industry could build cost-effective systems for loading and storing and much more. Sea Traffic Management has introduced a similar approach for maritime information; real-time data is the “container”. Mr. Siwe suggested setting the standards, creating open interfaces and providing a solid infrastructure. Route Exchange is the first standard with potential to increase safety and efficiency in double-digit numbers, he stated.

Konstantinos Seretis, Projects and Product Development Manager, SRH Marine Electronics S.A, referred to “ECDIS and Digital Products as part of E-Navigation“. He briefly explained the e-navigation concept; it includes the harmonized collection, integration, exchange, presentation and analysis of marine information on board and ashore by electronic means, therefore, ECDIS & Digital Products have major role. Two other very important elements are Training and Support required for both Hardware and Software. Mr. Seretis highlighted that “e-Navigation” concept is moving forward within next years on the basis of “Paper” to “Digital” World transition. This change has not been concluded yet. It is coming more and more, fully based on ECDIS, ENCs and Digital Products full implementation, he said.

Willy Zeiler, Marketing & Communications Manager, NAVTOR AS, addressed concerns regarding “e Navigation, ECDIS & Autonomous Ships“. Mr Zeiler highlighted that e-Navigation is central to delivering tomorrow’s technology, but its powerful benefits can be exploited today. Using data as a facilitator, it simplifies tasks, reduces workloads, enhances safety and environmental performance, and delivers real economic advantages for the industry. Autonomous vessels are a natural step forward for the discipline, with connected, digitized ships that perform with optimal efficiency, safety and security. Whether they switch to full autonomy or not, he suggested that e-Navigation will soon become central to the voyages of all seagoing vessels; that is a science fact, he finally stated.

Panel 4: Energy Efficiency

Peter Mantel, Managing Director, BMT Smart Ltd, focused on ‘’Fleet Performance Management’’ which has finally come of age, and is now recognized as a key part of every shipping company’s operations. Advances in technology, connectivity and data collection have made the Fleet Performance Management Industry more complex. Consequently, many ship owners are neither seeing the results that Fleet Performance Management can deliver, nor getting a return from their investment. Despite early wins for many ship owners around Fleet Performance Management, there is still a significant opportunity to make game changing performance gains, Mr Mantel commented. He further highlighted that shipping needs to modernise and changes are required the way the industry works from Fleet Performance Management (FPM) to Managed Fleet Performance (MFP) by providing a complete managed service.

Antony Vourdachas, Senior Engineer, ABS, gave a presentation on “Analyzing Big Data –Managing data flows and using the information“. He argued that international regulations and operational costs are key drivers in today’s shipping industry in terms of vessel performance. Increasing regulatory compliance requirements add complexity to an already challenged market, while the volume of the data to satisfy such regulatory reporting is increasing. In parallel, the proliferation of low cost sensor technology and the interlinking of systems onboard a vessel have further increased the volume of data being collected and needing to be analyzed, he added. This leads to a challenge when handling, storing, analyzing and presenting such “big data”. Mr. Vourdachas addressed some of these challenges and potential solutions to have in mind.

Bastian Gehnke, Vessel and Fleet performance Technical Product Manager, INTERSCHALT Maritime Systems, presented the “Practice of data driven decision making for an improved fleet performance management“. Mr. Gehnke said customer’s experience has showed that turning data into knowledge is the main challenge of big data. Based on facts and figures out of practice, he explained how shipping owners make use out of collected data. Different use cases were shown and the process of automated performance analysis was also presented.

Panos Theodossopoulos, CEO, Propulsion Analytics, gave a presentation entitled “Big Data or Smart Data? The case of engine performance monitoring“ providing his view on the balance between shipping industry needs and technology trends, by focusing on this case. The use of data analytics, physical models and human expertise was presented as the optimum combination in order to achieve useful and actionable results for the ship operator. He commented this approach forms the basis of a new cooperation between the company and the engine developers Winterthur Gas & Diesel, for the development of an on-board system that ensures the engine is running in the most efficient way, minimizes downtime and supports the on-board crew with troubleshooting

Finally Apostolos Belokas, Forum Chairman, thanked the delegates for their participation, the sponsors and supporters for their support and the speakers for their excellent presentations and also the organizing team of the event for their contribution towards forum objectives.

 

The winners of the 2017 SMART4SEA Awards were announced at the end of the Conference rewarding companies which demonstrated remarkable performance towards smart shipping either in excellence, innovation or technology category. The winners namely are:

Inmarsat received the SMART4SEA Excellence Award, sponsored by SRH Marine, for its high-speed satellite broadband service, Fleet Xpress, which changes crew lives onboard through greater connectivity with family & friends, video on-demand, social media, online training, telemedicine and measures to shift the administrative burden back to shore. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: BMT SMART, Furuno, Maersk Maritime Technology and Rolls-Royce.

Monalisa 2 STM Validation received the SMART4SEA Innovation Award, sponsored by HEMEXPO, for introducing smart solutions for sharing information data which result in efficient, safe and environmentally friendly maritime transport in the EU while at the same time reduce administrative burdens. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: Kongsberg Maritime, Laros by Prisma Electronics, Marine Traffic and North of England P&I Club.

Transas received the SMART4SEA Technology Award, sponsored by Tototheo Group, for offering a new simulation concept THESIS (Transas Harmonised Eco System of Integrated Solutions) which facilitates ship, shore and ports to access real-time operation critical data simultaneously that allows for decision-making and responsibility to be shared. Other short-listed nominees for this category were: ABS Nautical Systems, Danaos, Nanophos and SpecTec.

For more information about the 2017 SMART4SEA Awards, please click here.

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