Add to favorites

#Industry News

New Joiner Gives Financial Boost to One Sea Autonomous Shipping Alliance

Shipbrokers Finland has joined One Sea, an alliance of companies which promote a common goal of self-guiding shipping.

With the new partner, One Sea said it has secured funding to support its role as a business ecosystem.

As explained, an injection of public funds via Business Finland will contribute to the ecosystem’s work for the next three years, as technology partners push forward with further sea trials and One Sea rolls out an autonomous shipping standards initiative.

The One Sea ecosystem aims to enable autonomous maritime transport by 2025, but an array of new technologies and standards are on the horizon as momentum builds to exploit the potential of greater connectivity and digitalization. While some technologies will take hold, others will become historical footnotes, according to the alliance.

“Digital technologies could transform every aspect of shipping and maritime logistics, but these benefits will only be realized through strong cooperation. One Sea was established expressly to facilitate such strategic collaboration,” Sari Turkkila, Executive Director of new joiner Shipbrokers Finland, commented.

One Sea is led by Digital, Internet, Materials & Engineering Co-Creation (DIMECC), the co-creation platform that seeks to drive digital transformation across the European industry.

The alliance incorporates companies working on autonomous solutions and technologies, with members including ABB, Cargotec, Ericsson, Finnpilot Pilotage, Rolls-Royce Marine, Tieto and Wärtsilä. The Finnish government has strongly supported the development of autonomous shipping through both domestic legislation and international advocacy.

“As the logistics chain becomes more efficient, all Finnish export companies will benefit – and all of Finland will benefit,” Turkkila added.

Shipbrokers Finland represents more than 40 Finnish companies operating in ports and promoting foreign trade. One of its core aims is to find smarter ways of working that are favorable to Finland’s foreign trade.

“The continuing funding from Business Finland supports our co-creation platform until 2021 in sustaining its mission on all fronts. We have come together to pursue a unique opportunity – one which promises to generate millions, if not billions, of Euros in new business value,” Päivi Haikkola from DIMECC Ltd, One Sea ecosystem lead, said.

“Technology is advancing incredibly fast and not a month seems to go by without some major new breakthrough being announced. For this reason, the additional funding commitment from Business Finland and the additional access to operators and technology pioneers gained via Shipbrokers Finland will make it easier for One Sea to maintain an overview as developments unfold and stay at the forefront smart shipping,” Harri Kulmala, CEO of DIMECC, noted.

Back in 2017, the first test area for projects related to autonomous shipping was opened in Finland. The Jaakonmeri Test Area is managed and controlled by DIMECC.

The test area is open to all companies, research institutes and others wishing to test autonomous maritime traffic, vessels, or technologies related to it.

Details

  • United States
  • DIMECC