Introduction
The term “digitalisation” has become a broad, all-encompassing term, yet in the maritime industry, it carries real meaning. At its core, digitalisation is the adoption of systems and processes powered by computers and the internet. For shipping, this has led to the rise of smart technologies, the use of data to improve operations, the deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for predictive maintenance and voyage optimisation, the spread of automated monitoring, and stronger connections between ship and shore. Together, these trends have rapidly expanded the role of IT on board.
But no digital wave comes without a storm. Greater connectivity brings greater cybersecurity risks. As vessels move from L-band links to GEO VSAT, to LEO broadband services such as Starlink and Eutelsat OneWeb, they open themselves to improved crew welfare and faster operations, but also enlarge the attack surface. Hackers have an increasing number of doors to try, whether through unpatched devices, misconfigured cloud accounts, or even a crew member pirating the latest blockbuster. IT and OT, once separate, are also increasingly integrated, meaning that an email breach could ripple into cargo management without effective segregation.
Alongside this, the industry is grappling with a skills gap as Industry 4.0 combines traditional seafaring skills with new, necessary digital competencies such as cybersecurity, data analysis, and digital system management. Industry training needs to catch up with this evolution as the push towards digitalisation is outpacing curricula. Notably, the STCW Convention, which forms the basis of seafarer training globally, does not explicitly include requirements for digital skills or computer literacy, as they are treated only as optional support tools
Digitalisation is not only about technology; it also spans people, skills, and culture. Against this backdrop, The Future of Maritime Digitalisation-2025, highlights one crucial area underpinning this shift: IT services. While these services may not grab headlines such as AI tools and autonomous ships, cloud platforms and IT management tools form the backbone of maritime digitalisation.
To Outsource or not to Outsource? That is the Question.
Running a modern vessel increasingly resembles managing a remote office network, and for many, the complexity of onboard networks makes structured management unavoidable. To meet this demand, shipping companies draw on a mix of dedicated tools, partially outsourcing, and fully managed services, dependent on the scale of their fleets and the availability of in-house resources.
For companies that wish to maintain full control, specialist tools provide support. Dualog Drive is one example, automating secure file transfers between ship and shore. Updates to planned maintenance systems, safety documents, or software patches can be distributed across an entire fleet, reducing the risk of inconsistency and minimising the burden on crew. Another is GT Maritime’s GT Deploy, a remote software deployment and asset management service. It allows shore-based teams to monitor onboard computers, roll out updates, and diagnose IT issues without crew intervention.
Interestingly, connectivity providers such as Marlink and Navarino have also entered this space, as they position themselves as managed service providers. Marlink provides managed IT services that include monitoring and maintenance aligned with a company’s own policies. Navarino’s Spectrum platform offers shore-based IT staff detailed visibility of onboard systems, with functions for asset discovery, remote updates, and network mapping. Spectrum can be used as a standalone tool by in-house teams or with additional support from Navarino, illustrating how outsourcing can be scaled up or down depending on fleet needs.
A number of operators choose a hybrid approach or go further and outsource IT management almost entirely. Dedicated firms such as Sea-IT, Waterway IT, UniSea, and SmartSea offer services that cover everything from remote monitoring and patching to complete oversight of onboard infrastructure. For smaller owners, this provides access to specialist expertise and economies of scale that would be impossible to achieve independently.
Of course, the maritime industry is not homogeneous, and companies outsource for a variety of reasons. Cost, expertise, and risk reduction are consistent drivers, but the balance between in-house and outsourced approaches is often shaped by fleet size, IT complexity, and regulatory obligations. Smaller operators may use outsourcing to access skills and scale that would otherwise be unaffordable, while larger fleets often apply it selectively to reduce the day-to-day workload of internal teams, allowing them to focus on strategic IT projects.
Cloud Services and the Ladder of Adoption
Cloud computing can be seen as a nervous system, connecting vessels, shore, and the wider ecosystem. For many shipping companies, ignoring the cloud is no longer an option. The question is not if they’ll adopt it, but how far up the ladder of adoption they’ll climb.
Cloud use in shipping falls into two categories: infrastructure and applications. Infrastructure typically comes from providers such as AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. Some operators purchase direct and manage deployments with in-house expertise; others procure through communications/IT partners such as Marlink or Speedcast, who act as managed providers.
In comparison, the adoption of cloud applications can be described in three kinds of maturity levels. At one end are operators with minimal cloud use, relying mainly on local applications and dipping into the cloud for basics such as email or ad-hoc file sharing.
The middle ground is hybrid adoption, where mission-critical systems (navigation, safety, some maintenance functions) remain local, while procurement, crew management, analytics, and collaboration run in the cloud and synchronise when bandwidth allows.
At the far end is cloud-first, where most core applications and data are hosted ashore. In this model, a vessel becomes an extension of the corporate environment: ERP, fleet platforms, training content, and performance analytics are delivered through the cloud, with only safety-mandated functions retained locally.
The ambition of full cloud adoption is clear: consistent systems across fleets, global collaboration in real time, and advanced analytics made possible by aggregated data. However, while rising connectivity is in no doubt a key enabler, challenges remain. Office environments can assume reliable broadband, whereas ships must contend with variable satellite coverage. LEO broadband constellations such as Starlink and Eutelsat OneWeb have brought improvements in bandwidth and latency at lower cost. Yet Starlink is not licensed everywhere, and no service is immune to satellite outages or weather-related issues.
Even so, the trajectory is unmistakable. Over the next three to five years, mainstream operators are expected to deepen their use of cloud applications, with hybrid approaches remaining dominant in the short term. As coverage expands and redundancy becomes standard, more companies will climb toward cloud-first operations.
Conclusion
Maritime digitalisation is not theoretical; it is spreading across the sector, changing how crew live and work at sea. Valour Consultancy estimated that the market for IT and crew services (excluding cybersecurity) stood at approximately $550 million, and this growth is only increasing. Faster, lower-latency LEO broadband services are enabling data-heavy applications, while falling connectivity costs provide operators with stronger negotiating power and free up IT budgets to invest in cloud platforms, IT services, and crew welfare. At the same time, the commoditisation of bandwidth is pushing providers to reposition themselves as managed service partners, bundling offerings such as cybersecurity, IT management, and consulting.
Cost savings and crew welfare also remain powerful drivers. Remote access tools cut the need for costly onboard interventions, cloud-hosted software eliminates the expense of maintaining servers on board, and centralised IT management enables smaller teams to support larger fleets. Meanwhile digital services such as e-learning, entertainment, and telehealth services are playing a growing role in attracting and retaining seafarers.
To explore these dynamics in detail, Valour Consultancy’s latest study, The Future of Maritime Digitalisation – 2025 draws on insights from across the value chain and maps the challenges and opportunities facing the next phase of digital adoption.
Our report information brochure and free sample pages from the study can be accessed here.
