Page 28: of Marine News Magazine (May 2026)

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Data

Digitalization so. While AI can enhance analytics and automation, concerns For crew and operational staff, the shift can feel more around validation, trust, and safety remain, particularly in like surveillance than support. Increased reporting require- mission-critical functions like navigation and maintenance. ments and real-time monitoring add to workloads already strained by new fuels, routing complexities, and daily op-

Breaking Down Silos—Or Creating New Ones? erational demands.

Despite advances, data silos remain a major obstacle.

Aversano highlights a cultural dimension to the issue. At Platforms, Partnerships and the the executive level, data integration is widely accepted as Digital Ecosystem inevitable. But at the operational level, reactions are mixed. Technology providers are responding with integrated

Greater transparency can improve ef? ciency, but it also platforms and partnerships.

exposes decision-making processes. “Once systems are con- Bureau Veritas has taken a stake in Orbit-MI, linking nected across departments, there’s less room to hide,” he said. emissions compliance tools with broader operational soft- “That brings accountability—and sometimes resistance.” ware ecosystems. Orbit-MI, in turn, is integrating with

Vega Reederei coastal fleet installing

NexusWave connectivity service.

Vega Reederei

The Cargo Side

Much of the activity in maritime digitalization (and movement of data) discussed here occurs on the vessel side. But, similarly, the cargo side of the business has also seen islands of development but without centrality- as logistics data is often viewed as being proprietary. One unsuccessful attempt at innovation saw TradeLens, a joint venture between two giants in their respective arenas, Maersk and IBM, built around blockchain, shut down in 2022. Perhaps looking towards the future, two large competing U.S. West Coast ports (Long Beach- POLB and Los Angeles- POLA) are working together. At an early 2026 State of the Port event, POLA’s Executive Director Gene

Seroka highlighted that its “Port Optimizer” (a cloud based digital logistics platform developed by WABTEC) was being linked to a similar trucking appointment data system across the Bay at POLB. Similar to Danelec and solutions aimed at vessels, emissions reduction has been a driving force in the ports’ efforts- perhaps offering a clue into ways forward.

28 | MN May 2026