The maritime software, services, and data analysis provider National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA) and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) have introduced a navigational risk monitoring system, which has been adopted in over 700 ships of MOL’s fleet, following joint development and testing with the ship classification society for safer and cleaner seas, ClassNK.
Combining the partners’ expertise on ship operations, safe routing, and risk analysis, the solution aims to increase safety across the Japanese carrier’s fleet, by predicting the risk of grounding in advance and alerting the shoreside teams, giving them greater awareness of navigation risks.
“This collaboration demonstrates how shipping’s digital innovators can collaborate to address critical safety challenges quickly and effectively,” noted Naoki Mizutani, managing director of NAPA Japan.
Based on the software company’s cloud-based monitoring platform, NAPA Fleet Intelligence, the solution does not require any onboard hardware installation or crew input.
In addition, the digital solution provides users with a “reliable, fleet-wide” platform to reduce mainly grounding risk, by combining several data sources, such as position data, ship data, sea depth, and navigational charts, according to a statement.
The system also incorporates alerts and notifications to shore-based safety operations teams, whenever the increased navigational risk is detected, enhancing the ability to avoid and mitigate navigational incidents.
“The deployment of the solution to a global fleet of over 700 vessels truly shows how far cloud-based solutions have come in recent years. It also shows the benefit they can bring to solving critical operational issues, with the ability to roll out throughout a large fleet without any additional hardware installation,” stated Pekka Pakkanen, executive vice president of Shipping Solutions at NAPA.
