Digitalisation is at the helm of shipping’s voyage towards decarbonisation and, on World Maritime Day, IEC Telecom welcomes the international focus on technology’s role in enabling the industry to meet its green goals.

Today’s World Maritime Day theme, ‘New technologies for greener shipping’, highlights the role of innovation in supporting maritime’s green transition to a sustainable future. Nabil Ben Soussia, CCO IEC Telecom Group, stressed the importance of digital solutions in future-proofing ship operations while travelling towards shipping’s decarbonisation objectives – echoing the call by Kitack Lim, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation  to further examine how digitalisation and automation can support shipping in meeting its sustainability goals.

Mr Ben Soussia commented: “The IMO Secretary-General has rightly called on the shipping industry to focus on how technologies can be harnessed for a more sustainable future. We are experiencing a time of great change within the maritime industry and digital technologies and connectivity are accelerating this transformation, streamlining the passage to decarbonisation.”

He pointed out that data consumption per vessel has tripled since Jan 2020 to meet soaring demand for digital solutions across the maritime industry, highlighting the sector’s central role in future development.

Digital connectivity is driving change across the maritime industry. Thanks to IoT-delivered satcoms solutions, many optimised for use in low-bandwidth environments, ships can rely on their connectivity to collect data, analyse vessel performance, and monitor compliance with environmental regulations across the globe. Digital tools are increasing operational efficiencies, thereby helping to decrease the consumption of fossil fuels, while also reducing the number of port visits for maintenance and repairs.

“Digitalisation is at the centre of shipping’s efforts to meet its decarbonisation goals. With this rapidly evolving digital landscape, connectivity isn’t only about doing more. It is about utilising digital products for smarter workflow, seamless communications, and sustainable environment-friendly processes,” said Mr Ben Soussia.