Hyundai building smart ships for data-driven sailing
The sensors and analytics, provided by partner Accenture, will combine real-time location, weather and ocean data with historical fleet information. It hopes to visualise this information so that captains and manufacturers will receive alerts and warnings, predictive maintenance and more efficient scheduling on the seas.
The ship uses Hyundai Heavy Industries' on-ship platform and Accenture Connected Platforms as a Service including administrative and user management services and device management services. The firm said this would ensure all connected devices can be monitored and maintained remotely. Accenture's cloud platform will be used as infrastructure hosting.
In addition to reducing vessel operating expenses - a motivation for many fleet owners - real-time collection and exchange across vessels, ports, cargo and land logistics could provide new revenue streams.
The collaboration is part of Hyundai Heavy Industries' plans to expand its business, moving from manufacturing to services, in a model similar to Rolls Royce. It currently has about 15 percent share of the shipbuilding market, manufacturing products from drill ships to submarines.
Accenture is planning to develop five basic shore services: ship general information, ship voyage information, ship equipment status monitoring, ship equipment alarm monitoring, and connectivity health check.
"Businesses can gain a competitive advantage by embracing the connectivity wave underpinning the Internet of Things and integrating digital services into their products to keep pace with the next wave of innovation," said Eric Schaeffer, senior managing director, Accenture.
"Our collaboration with Hyundai Heavy Industries utilises our digital technology and deep industry experience to enable a traditional 'products' company to adapt its business model, taking advantage of digital technologies like analytics. Hyundai Heavy Industries' willingness to create value for its customers through adopting elements of the Internet of Things is a great step on its digital transformation journey."
"Through this collaboration with Accenture, our ambition is to lead innovation in ship operations, shipping and the port logistics sector," said Moon-kyoon Yoon, chief operating officer of the Shipbuilding Division of Hyundai Heavy Industries.
For ships that are being newly build to order, services will be available at the time of vessel delivery. For existing ships, we will be looking to retrofit these services for interested ship owners, Accenture confirmed.