A smartship partnership bringing together ship management company Laskaridis Shipping, digital technology provider METIS Cyberspace Technology and classification society Bureau Veritas  has developed new notations reflecting the latest advances in digitalisation, and in particular the use of augmented data to optimise the efficiency of shipping operations and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The results of this partnership were made official during a meeting at the offices of Laskaridis Shipping Co. LTD. on the 17^th of November 2023.

The project, which was launched in June 2022, led to BV delivering an Approval in Principle to METIS Cyberspace for its METIS Ship Connect System, an automated data acquisition platform for the monitoring of vessel operations and subsystems. Furthermore, two new classification notations were awarded to the bulk carrier LETO, built in 2015 and managed by Laskaridis Shipping CO. LTD., which is one of the 20 ships of the company’s fleet equipped with METIS Ship Connect.

METIS Ship Connect serves as the onboard Internet of Things (IoT) component within the METIS solution. METIS Ship Connect collects data streams from onboard sensors, instruments and automation control systems that are utilized by the METIS cloud–based platform to generate actionable intelligence. Essential vessel metrics such as fuel oil consumption, engine performance, electrical power production etc. are monitored in real time and through advanced data analytics and machine learning techniques the METIS platform provides optimization recommendations, predictive insights and regulatory compliance management.

With METIS Ship Connect on board, the bulk carrier LETO became the first vessel to be awarded the DATAINFRA notation, which was developed by Bureau Veritas as part of the project. The DATAINFRA notation recognises that the ship is equipped with data infrastructure consisting of data assets, technologies, organisations and data management processes, ensuring the reliable collection, transmission, storage, sharing and availability of data to multiple data consumers.

The LETO is also the first in-service vessel to receive BV’s SMART (EnE1-W, -S, -Em) notation, which recognises that the company and the vessel incorporate software and hardware that provide smart functions for the collection, transmission, analysis and visualisation of data related to energy efficiency, speed optimisation, weather routing and emissions monitoring.

Focusing on the use of big data and AI technology, the new notations and the METIS Ship Connect platform will help shipmanagers reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vessels and optimise performance. The project and notations scope support ship-to-shore connectivity, remote decisions and remote operations.

Mrs Eleni Polychronopoulou, CEO at METIS Cyberspace Technology, said: “Shipping is now coming to accept that real-time vessel data, predictive analysis and artificial intelligence will be crucial to meeting the needs of the transition ahead. Used correctly, data not only helps optimise maritime operations to boost energy efficiency, but also supports better decision-making at the strategic level. Approval in Principle from Bureau Veritas confirms that Metis Ship Connect as already fully ready and fit for purpose to help the maritime industry navigate its digital challenges”.

Regarding the cooperation with Laskaridis Shipping, Mrs Polychronopoulou noted: “We seek and value such partnerships in order to improve and optimize the use of the gathered data. As we are in the process of a large development program at Metis for on-board and office tools, receiving good feedback helps us to develop these tools in the right direction”.

Mr. Suzanna Laskaridis, Chairwoman of Lavinia Corp., said: “We are proud to pioneer maritime digitalisation. The latest notations awarded to our LETO vessel highlight our commitment to use advanced data collection and real-time monitoring solutions to maximise our operational efficiency while also reducing our carbon footprint. Digital technologies have tremendous potential to drive operational excellence and enhance sustainability, which is why they are at the heart of our long-term strategy. Through cooperations in innovation like this one we can open the way for transformative developments, unlocking new possibilities in the field of maritime digitalization that can benefit our companies but also the industry at large”.

Mr. George Christopoulos, COO of Laskaridis Shipping Co. LTD. noted: “All of our newbuildings with BV Class will have the SMART notation. We want to take advantage of the evolution in technology until 2027 when the ships will be delivered. We have agreed with the shipyards to perform sea trial using high frequency data. The shipyards also want to add the SMART notation as their designs are upgraded. Our target is to expand the concept and prove that we are actively engaged in data driven operations. Our biggest charterers are already requesting high frequency data analytics. On our side we are totally transparent and agree to include in our charter parties specific clauses for CII and EU ETS. We are also in the process of upgrading to mass flow meters which very much improve our consumption measurement accuracy”.

Mr. Nicholas Tsoulakos, Innovation & Technology Manager of Laskaridis Shipping noted: “We are in the era of digitalization and the high frequency data collection systems that we have installed on our vessels are the basis for the upcoming AI systems that are coming or are already available in the maritime industry”.

Mrs Paillette Palaiologou, Vice President for South East Europe, Black Sea & Adriatic (SEEBA) Zone at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, said: “Digitalisation is the essential foundation for progress on decarbonisation and operational efficiency more broadly. This project builds on Bureau Veritas’ strategy to support technological advances and digitalisation in shipping, enabling safe innovation as the industry progresses towards more digitalised and autonomous ships. This partnership is also a tangible example of BV’s dedication to collaboration, bringing together our diverse expertise and experience to achieve meaningful outcomes”.