Ship Data Center Co. Ltd., a new ClassNK unit to enhance the effective use of big data

ClassNK spurs maritime industry to use Big DataTokyo-based classification society ClassNK has established Ship Data Center Co., Ltd., headed by ClassNK Executive Vice President Yasushi Nakamura, a wholly owned subsidiary to support the use of big amounts of data that can currently be gathered from ship operations.

A current approach to maritime data
The fast evolution in the development of information and communication technologies has made it possible to collect impressive volumes of data on a varied range of issues related to ship operations. The approach to data capture is nonetheless still very fragmented, with similar data being sent to several vendors and analysis still being carried out almost entirely on a ship-by-ship basis.

The Ship Data Center’s aim and innovation
ClassNK has drawn on its extensive technical knowledge and expertise to develop Ship Data Center Co., Ltd, whose aim is to create an effective platform capable of centralizing and generalizing the management of such diverse data so to maximise gains.
The creation and maintenance of this kind of platform would be very expensive and time-consuming, which makes this kind of project unrealistic for many organizations: however, the newly established Ship Data Center, being especially founded for this goal and very focused, may carry on such an ambitious and challenging project.
The Center is well aware that special care needs to be given to the handling of data to ensure confidentiality of information, and that a secure yet effective platform from an impartial perspective is essential: as an independent, non-profit organization with over a century of experience in ship classification, ClassNK is ready to provide impartial, confidential and effective data management to maritime companies worldwide.
The Data Center consists of a secured shipping operations database which will serve as an information hub to independently manage the utilization of big data in the maritime industry. Through the center’s integrated data, the industry can maximize the benefits of big data with a minimum cost and burden.

Future applications
ClassNK sees opportunities for future application of the Data Center as “infinite.”In addition to optimizing ship operations and improving condition-based monitoring of machinery, the Data Center could also be used to help the industry overcome current and emerging challenges.
For example, the entry into force of the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) regulation by the EU requires shipowners and operators to annually monitor, report and verify fuel consumption for vessels 5,000 gt or over which call at any EU port.
The establishment of Ship Data Center Co., Ltd. reinforces ClassNK’s position as part of indispensable infrastructure of the industry and demonstrates its commitment to creating a safer, greener and more efficient global maritime industry.

The project schedule
Trials of the Data Center will start on a container vessel in February 2016 in cooperation with a Japanese shipping company. Various information including data from the ship’s voyage data recorder and data logger will be gathered from the vessel. Full operation of the Data Center is scheduled from April 2016. Data collection will be required from January 1, 2018. The Data Center plans to offer shipowners and operators a secure and neutral database in which to store and manage these vast amounts of fuel consumption data.