The voice of IT Leadership in the commercial maritime industry
Editor’s Note
Digital control, connectivity resilience and practical decarbonisation tools define today’s stories. From Hafnia’s warning on dark fleet exposure to new investments in data intelligence, low Earth orbit connectivity, wind propulsion and air lubrication, shipowners are being asked to rethink both risk and performance. The common thread is visibility. In a fragmented market, those who control their data and infrastructure may ultimately control their future.
Features
This article is based on UnDocked’s interview “Hafnia: Modern Tanker Shipping with Mikael Skov”. Watch the full interview on YouTube.
Hafnia’s chief executive argues that scale and data speed are becoming as critical to safety as to performance. While compliant operators invest in digital control, the expansion of the dark fleet threatens to undermine progress and distort the competitive landscape. For shipowners navigating volatility and regulation, the warning is clear: digitalisation without enforcement may not be enough.
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Communications & Cyber Security
Fleet connectivity is shifting from utility to strategic asset. A new low Earth orbit reseller agreement aims to provide shipowners with greater network resilience, lower latency and improved digital performance at sea. As real-time applications expand, independent connectivity pathways are becoming essential to operational control.
Software, Big Data & IoT
A new maritime intelligence platform promises to convert vessel data into actionable recommendations for crew and shore teams. With claims of faster decisions, lower fuel costs and improved compliance visibility, the focus is moving from dashboards to operational outcomes. For shipowners and managers under margin and regulatory pressure, speed and clarity may define competitiveness.
Where operational excellence meets net zero ambition
Propulsion and future fuels
A renewed framework agreement expands rotor sail installation access across major Chinese shipyards. For owners assessing wind-assisted propulsion, integration certainty and installation scale are becoming as important as technology performance. Industrial backing continues to strengthen around practical decarbonisation options.
Technology
A cruise operator has selected a compressor-free air lubrication system to support fuel efficiency and emissions compliance. As EEXI and CII requirements tighten, retrofit technologies that reduce resistance without major structural changes are gaining renewed attention among fleet managers.
Yesterday's Most Engaging Story
Autonomy needs trust before scale. Autonomy is edging closer to commercial reality as class expectations become clearer. Bureau Veritas’ Approval in Principle for Greenroom Robotics offers shipowners a more defined pathway from concept to deployment. Assurance, not novelty, is now driving autonomy decisions.