EU kick-starts project to promote digitalization in Baltic Sea
ECOPRODIGI project initiates a unique collaboration between research organizations and the industry end-users to create and pilot digital solutions increasing eco-efficiency throughout the vessel lifecycle. The EU-funded project supports Baltic Sea region in becoming a front-runner in maritime industry digitalisation and clean shipping.
As explained, there is much talk about digitalization in maritime industry, but the practical and concrete usage of big data, 3D scanning and IoT is just in the beginning of successful exploitation. ECOPRODIGI project is developing and piloting new digital solutions for enhancing ship performance, loading and shipyard processes. In shipyard environments, for example, technology for process control optimization is being developed. The shipping companies will test, among other things, how 3D scanning can be used to optimize ship loading.
“ECOPRODIGI is a unique project, as it involves number of major players from eight different countries, such as the academic institutions, ship yards and end-users. There are also small and medium-sized enterprises that are rarely seen in similar EU projects,” said Eini Haaja, project manager from the Pan-European Institute of the University of Turku.
#ECOPRODIGI project is launched! We work for enhancing eco-efficiency of #maritime industry through #digitalisation: https://t.co/rbHq6Wj0m6 pic.twitter.com/R4yLRJyB80
— ECOPRODIGI (@ECOPRODIGI_BSR) November 3, 2017
The Baltic Sea is one of the busiest and most vulnerable seas and shipping in the area is highly regulated, so the industry is under pressure to meet the regulations. In addition, shipping in the region is also facing increasingly fierce competition. Thus, there is a need to produce more value with less resources, waste and pollution – i.e. a need for more eco-efficient operations and processes in the shipping industry.
In this respect, ECOPRODIGI project aims to increase eco-efficiency in the Baltic Sea maritime sector by creating and piloting digital solutions in close cooperation between industry end-users and research organisations. The project has received more than €3 million from the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme (2014-2020), which supports integrated territorial development and cooperation for a more innovative, better accessible and sustainable Baltic Sea region. With partners’ own contributions the overall budget of the project is €4.2 million.
The project addresses both the environmental and economic challenges by increasing eco-efficiency at all stages of the vessel lifecycle from design and building to the use, maintenance, stowage as well as conversion processes. In practice, ECOPRODIGI not only provides highly needed information about the key eco-inefficiencies of the industry but also concretely develops and pilots digital solutions to better measure, visualise and optimise the industry processes.
