The shipping industry has been a key player in economic growth and development for centuries, with the ability to transport goods from all corners of the globe. But over the past few years, it has seen a dramatic shift from traditional heavy cargo ships to small-scale container vessels that rely on digital technology to make their work easier.
It is only right to surmise that the global maritime industry is undergoing a rapid digital revolution, and the benefits are becoming clear:
Digitalization has led to the optimization of processes and increased efficiency in the industry. With digitalization, ship management systems have become more sophisticated, allowing for better route planning and port management. These improvements have resulted in shorter shipping routes and better ship services, both of which have helped alleviate overburdened docks and decrease the growing backlogs.
In addition, digitalization has allowed for improved monitoring of operations, which has led to fewer delays at ports and prevented ships from being held up due to the continuous influx of products at docks. It’s also helped prevent delays in ports by ensuring that all relevant information is available on time for marine management to make decisions about when a shipment should be delivered or where it should go next.
Digitalization has also enabled automated tracking of shipments on their way from one port to another—helping companies keep track of what’s been shipped and when so they can make sure everything arrives safely at its destination. The real-time transfer of data can help improve ship audit and vessel management to a higher degree which can benefit not only the operations team but crew management as well.
Better connectivity can also lead to improved communication between departments within companies. This can greatly reduce delays in relaying real-time information that can affect the expedition of shipments between ports. It’s also a great way to improve the tracking of ships to verify if they can make the schedule. The data that can be gathered from vessels plying different shipping routes will be also an important tool to draw resources from later on in the assessment phase.
The Philippine ship industry can benefit from all of these things in a manner that puts it in a more competitive position in the global maritime industry. The technological advancements that digitalization offers continue to prove to be a gamechanger in the way things are handled in our local ports and docks.
As it is, we are still facing problems caused by the global supply chain crisis which is why it’s only logical that shipping companies move in the right direction. Digitalization can help make things simpler, faster, and even more economical in the long run. Maritime stakeholders should re-assess and re-evaluate their current systems to see the benefit of digitalization in this fast-paced industry. After all, keeping up with the times is a matter of looking forward to the possible changes within the industry and identifying the areas that can be further improved.
All in all, there are more advantages to digitalization compared to the possible risks and heavy investment upfront. It is an upgrade that local shipping companies must be willing to undertake to stay relevant in the industry. The advantages listed here are just but a few in the ever-growing list. Soon, more processes will be introduced and there will be more high-tech solutions to old persisting problems. The modernization of the shipping industry will move to make it better for those who are willing to trade their old ways for new and improved ones.
