IoT at sea-how the internet of things powers the maritime industry

Aerospace and Defense Review | Thursday, April 27, 2023

The Internet of Things(IoT) comes with numerous advantages for the Maritime Industry, such as reducing costs and increasing efficiency, improving decision-making, and minimizing fuel consumption.

FREMONT, CA: The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming the maritime industry. The IoT benefits smart connected vessels in a variety of ways, from reducing maintenance costs to reducing fuel consumption. IoT technology can greatly improve logistics by enabling sensors to detect the temperature of goods, such as vaccines, that require specific shipping conditions.

At sea, cutting-edge technologies are being used in exciting ways.

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Real-Time monitoring: Through the real-time transmission of data housed within shipping containers, a greater degree of control can be achieved over the percentage of goods lost during transport due to everything from gas leaks to food spoilage. Monitoring holds, and decks for fire and flood dangers reduces labor costs associated with staffing patrols due to the sheer size of many vessels.

Modern smart technology improves efficiency and reduces costs by monitoring GPS position, bilge alarm status, battery voltage, and powering smoke and intruder alarms via digital systems.

5G on the open sea: In the past, ships and land were connected via Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSAT). VSAT relays were used to transmit voice, data, and navigational charts, resulting in limited-time connections. Hundreds of low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites in the Ka-band (26.5-40 GHz) have enabled higher data rates and greater security. Riviera estimates that LEO satellites and 5G capabilities will revolutionize maritime connectivity within a decade.

Advantages of analytics: Analytical IoT can be used to determine the number of optimization outcomes for specific ships. On a single container ship, 11 IoT technologies were implemented in a case study published in The Journal of Marine Science and Technology.

Study technologies determined the weight at which the ship maximized profit capability, identified the hull as being the most critical factor in ship safety, and revealed many other logistics-impacting findings. In the simulation, multiple technologies were combined to generate real-world applications that could generate cost savings.

Technology specific to the maritime industry: As high-throughput satellites (HTS) blanket the world's waterways, the demand for high-speed connectivity and Artificial intelligence (AI) on vessels has increased. Maritime Executive recognizes the benefits of utilizing dedicated maritime IoT, including allocating a separate transmission system from the dedicated satellite network. Separating Information technology (IT) from operational technology (OT) allows both critical elements of data transmission to occur simultaneously and without lag.

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