CIMAC: this is how to get better ship data integration

Industry association CIMAC is to propose a model for data collaboration between engine and component manufacturers that would make digital integration easier and more effective for ship operators. The basic elements of the model were shared at CIMAC Congress last week, ahead of a forthcoming position paper.

The move comes amid concerns identified by CIMAC that ship operators are increasingly viewing integration as adding cost and complexity, rather than meeting the potential value that data can bring. Part of the problem is that each supplier can have different protocols and exchange standards, making it challenging to combine all the data needed for a holistic picture of performance.

Dominik Scneiter, vice president of research and development at WinGD and chair of the CIMAC’s digitalisation strategy group, explained: “There is no norm for integrated systems in maritime, and the sector is not as focused on integration as other sectors, partly due to high fragmentation. ISO standards are available but are based on old system architecture. We need solutions that support the end user, distinguish safe from unsafe data and enable the transfer of data from across suppliers into higher level systems.”

The paper will outline standards that aim to ensure data property protection, business model freedom, secure data exchange and vendor neutrality. A containerised infrastructure will be proposed, meaning that each sub-component’s data is housed in a dedicated software module. They will be accessed only through a management system or ‘broker’ that allows access from ship systems, while enabling sub-component suppliers to control how their data is used and to be paid for the data used. The container and broker architecture will also be useful if sub-components need to be switced.

Marco Coppo, CEO of OTM Digital and a member of the strategy group, said: “Suppliers need each others’ data to eliminate error and enrich their own data output. Building our own solutions adds a fragment of value; integrating data multiplies it.”

The report, which will be published in the coming months, follows two years of deliberations between strategy group members, of which a whole year was spent discussing data ownership. The group will explore integration of fleet systems, shoreside equipment and navigation tools in subsequent publications.