Digital Navigation : Fine margins, safety, and the future of Maritime Sustainability

Amidst discussions surrounding the digitiza­tion of the maritime in­dustry, navigation stands out as one of the few ar­eas where comprehen­sive digital operations have achieved industry­-wide success. World ECDIS Day 2023, which centered around the theme ‘Business of Fine Margins,’ underscored that navigation systems are pivotal in a rapidly evolving industry, impact­ing areas ranging from vessel safety to emis­sions management. In September 2023, the World ECDIS Day event was held in Hamburg, at­tracting 150 guests, fea­tured three workshops, and hosted six speakers, further highlighting the growing recognition of the central role digital navigation solutions are having in the wider mari­time sector. World ECDIS Day 2023 covered some of the most pressing chal­lenges facing the mari­time sector today.

Safety of Navigation beyond ECDIS

In this session, OSM and Intership Navigation discussed the broader aspects of maritime safe­ty beyond Electronic Chart Display and Infor­mation Systems (EC­DIS). The discussion cov­ered topics such as the role of technology, train­ing, and best practices in ensuring safe navigation. It also touched upon emerging challenges and innovations in maritime safety beyond ECDIS, reflecting a holistic ap­proach to safeguarding navigation at sea, offering valuable insights into key facets of maritime naviga­tion, including real-time updates and comprehen­sive safety measures.

Event Driven Updates – Report on a Case Study (Speaker: UKHO – ChartWorld – North Standard P&I Club)

This session covered the concept of event-driv­en updates in the context of navigation and mari­time safety. The UKHO (United Kingdom Hydro­graphic Office), Chart­World, and North Stan­dard P&I Club shared in­sights and case studies on how real-time events and data can impact nav­igation, with a focus on chart updates and safety improvements. This top­ic also explored the im­portance of timely infor­mation updates and their role in enhancing mari­time safety and efficien­cy.

The European Union Emission Trading Sys­tem (EU-ETS)

The shipping sector contributes 3-4% of the EU’s total CO2 emis­sions. As a response to the growing concern about greenhouse gas emissions from the ship­ping sector, the EU has decided to include ship­ping in the EU ETS from 2024.

The EU-ETS is regard­ed as the most compre­hensive carbon market of its kind globally. It encom­passes approximately 40% of greenhouse gas emissions within the Eu­ropean Union and in­cludes over 10,000 instal­lations. Shipping will be integrated into the EU­ETS from January 1, 2024, with a phased ap­proach of implementa­tion. In 2024, 40% of ap­plicable emissions are li­able, increasing to 70% in 2025, and finally reach­ing full applicability at 100% in 2026 and sub­sequent years.

For those shipping companies that fail to comply with the EU-ETS regulations, punitive mea­sures include penalty charges and the possibil­ity of being blacklisted within the system, em­phasizing the importance of adherence to emission reduction requirements within the shipping indus­try as part of the broader EU carbon market.

Cross-industry coop­eration is going to be key to succeeding commer­cially and administrative­ly under EU ETS. Ship­ping companies will need to take both administra­tive and commercial steps to position them­selves to effectively navi­gate the complexities of the EU-ETS, ensuring compliance with emis­sions reduction targets and regulatory require­ments while minimizing financial and operational disruptions. Managing the EU­ETS environment will also require a renewed focus on navigation and vessel operation, including Weather Curr

This article was originally published on Marine & Industrial Report newspaper Vol 45 No.5 Issue last October 31, 2023.