Abstract Competition between ports is slightly more complicated than hanging around ocean corners, looking as desirable as possible, and waiting for the punters to roll up but the economics are remarkably similar. Historically, port operations are low-skill, labour intensive and very sensitive to market demands. The advantage that ports can bring to bear is sufficient…
Digitalisation beyond the sea: An Introduction Written by Alishia Sims – Maritime Research Analyst Not a portion of the globe was left untouched by the Covid-19 pandemic, and in its wake society changed. The consequences of the pandemic made technology a significant focal point, the need for faster connectivity and also the possibility of bypassing…
What is Starlink Maritime? Starlink Maritime is a division of SpaceX and it’s LEO satellite connectivity network started in 2015. The company is now entering into new mobility applications that use satellite connectivity services. Starlink Maritime is the name of this satellite connectivity service being offered to maritime vessels. Introduction to Starlink Maritime Connectivity Starlink’s…
Abstract – AI for ferries would be a game-changer Can AI be the Ferry Godmother? Artificial Intelligence (AI) for maritime applications is normally considered for larger shipping companies and major ports. These are where immediate and major advantages are easily envisaged. This tends to leave smaller operators of diverse fleets in multiple locations out of…
In early August, Joshua Flood took ferry rides across the Irish Sea from Scotland to Belfast, Northern Ireland (Stena Superfast VIII) and later, Dublin, Republic of Ireland, to Wales (Stena Estrid), and reflects on his connectivity experiences. The routes are covered by a couple of operators, and I choose Stena Line for both journeys. The…
The Valour Consultancy tour bus is back on the road. Join our maritime experts at SMM in Hamburg! On 7 September, our friends at Inmarsat will be running a thought-provoking lunchtime seminar on the state of play of the maritime connectivity market. The seminar will be moderated by Joshua Flood, Co-Founder & Senior Research Consultant…
Little Boxes made of Ticky Tacky* Having recently discussed modular maintenance, this piece examines alternative possibilities for vessel design concepts, in particular, the development of the existing Articulated Tug Barge and Stena Bulk’s Infinity concept. Separating drive train from cargo seems like a commercial winner but is it safe and reasonable? Existing Methods of Barge…
Valour Consultancy has published the 2022 edition of its flagship maritime market intelligence report. The 2022 edition of The Future of Maritime Connectivity is the report’s fourth iteration, building on extensive market data back to 2013. It offers in-depth analysis of key service providers, hardware vendors, satellite operators and technology enablers, covering all geographic regions.…
Valour Consultancy is due to release the 2022 edition of its flagship maritime report in the coming weeks. To whet your appetite for the The Future of Maritime Connectivity, the Valour team unveils a small sample of the headline statistics from this year’s research. This highlights how the market has evolved since we last published…
Ship Chandler – Farewell, My Lovely* Supply of parts and maintenance for autonomous shipping will be a thorny problem for some time. Historically, when vessels were more generically cargo transporters, a single supplier, a ship’s chandler, would have all the pieces needed to get the vessel operational and seaworthy again. With increasing automation and specialisation,…
Senior maritime consultant Joshua Flood reflects on his experience as a panel discussion moderator at Superyacht Investor 2022, which took place in London earlier this month. The “new novelty” of returning to in person events has not yet worn off, and it’s been great to catch up with old faces, and put new faces to…
Valour Consultancy recently released its second edition update of the Maritime Tracker. The database now contains details of 16,500 commercial maritime vessels, with 95 new companies having been included since the previous edition. Additionally, the container, bulk and tanker segments within the merchant market have been separated, with all installation information segmented by geographic region…