International Group Announce Nautical Data Standards
The global exchange of standardised nautical information is now a step closer after an international group reach an agreement in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Standardisation is seen by many as the precursor to allowing greater collaboration, and ultimately, technologies like IoT to enter the supply chain.
The more immediate benefits will allow containerships to make more efficient use of sea-going vessels and to reduce emissions.
Participants, including the International Taskforce Port Call Optimisation, built on the results of a workshop in May 2018 by selecting the best possible definitions.
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Now that all relevant stakeholders have contributed to establishing global uniform nautical standards, the next step can be taken from functional to data definitions.
Put simply: functional definitions ensure that people in the maritime industry understand each other. Data definitions enable machines to communicate with each other.
Ben van Scherpenzeel, Chairman of the International Port Call Optimisation Taskforce, said: “Take the quay planning of sea-going vessels, for instance.
“Uniform data definitions will enable the terminal operator to share a vessel’s berthing details with parties including the agent and the captain of the vessel due to take over that berth on the quay.
“This improves port call efficiency. Vessels no longer run the risk of berthing in the incorrect location or even with the wrong side of the vessel.
“Correcting such manoeuvres takes a lot of time.’
The next step in setting standards is to publish the definitions and, where necessary, to submit these to a standardisation organisation.
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