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The Future of Ship Systems to be Smarter with Ship Bridge Simulators

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The Future of Ship Systems to be Smarter with Ship Bridge Simulators

The maritime industry is not new to the simulation technique and has, in reality, been using this technique in automation as well as numerous other applications. The rising implementation of advanced technologies & automation in the maritime sector has surged the need for ship bridge simulators. The Asia-pacific region has rising passenger traffic and massive import & export businesses; as a result, the region is likely to be in major need of marine systems equipped with ship bridge simulators.

The maritime sector is transiting toward autonomy by enabling assistance in navigation and decision support systems using simulations. At some point in time, if two autonomous vessels crafted by different producers come across each other, how will these vessels communicate? How intricate will the navigation be? Will the ships discuss intricate navigational maneuvers? Will the two autonomous systems be able to communicate in a proper way? Simulation or formulating mathematical models to impersonator trustworthy real-world effects can offer numerous solutions to these questions.

The marine industry is not new to the simulation technique and has, in reality, been using this technique in automation as well as numerous other applications. For example, simulation is used for coaching squads for new vessels before these vessels delivered for crane management and towing in seaports to check loopholes in ship systems and other purposes. For years, simulators are extensively used in training and certification mainly in the Maritime Education and Training (MET). They are used in numerous areas of the marine sector including cargo handling, crane operations, system control, offshore operation training on ships, bridge operations, and towing & anchor handling. Such a wide range of applications of simulators has propelled their demand in recent years. A report by Research Dive reveals that the global ship bridge simulator market growth is expected to skyrocket and the market is anticipated to garner significant revenue in the upcoming years.

Alexander Ozersky, the Deputy Director-Intellectual Systems at Wärtsilä Voyage Solutions, believes that simulation is a technique that permits to do mistakes without triggering any severe outcomes in the real world. A vessel can need nearly ten years to develop or redesign its system. However, by making use of simulation techniques one is able to do it more quickly, more safely, and at a reasonable price. This is why a simulation-based method was used to attest to the functionality of COLREGS (Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea) in Wärtsilä Navi-Harbour vessel traffic management system with ClassNK, a global leader in ship classification.

Panorama of the Ship Bridge Simulator Market:

There is a tremendous need for skilled ship operators or watch captains on a vessel for directing navigation, map plotting, weather monitoring, fire management, observation, search, and operation rehearsals. Also, there has been significant development in war systems and technologies; for example, electronic as well as network-centric wars use ship bridge simulators for testing systems. In addition, the rising implementation of advanced technologies & automation in the marine sector has surged the need for ship bridge simulators. Moreover, strict rules issued by maritime lawmakers for proficient coaching of electronic war workforces have propelled the demand for ship bridge simulators in recent years. All these factors portray that the global ship bridge simulator market is accelerating at a rapid pace and is expected to reach significant heights in the coming years.

In the past few years, ship makers have observed that the virtual reality simulation is considerably more proficient than conventional marine simulator training. In virtual simulation devices, a helmet is used that shows a video and is assimilated with sound effects and simulation sensor systems. With these sensors, the virtual simulation helmet can detect activities of the user’s extremities. The incorporation of such advanced technologies is opening doors to lavishing opportunities for market growth.

The Asia-pacific region has rising passenger traffic and massive import & export businesses. As a result, the region is likely to be in major need of marine systems and hence, be a major revenue contributor for the market growth. On the other hand, the North American region is projected to stand at a second position in terms of growth in the ship bridge simulator market. This is majorly owing to the stringent regulations issued by the governments in the region for upholding standard security. The LAMEA region is foreseen to witness continuous growth due to the evolving marine trades in these regions.

The Lookout of the Market during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has struck the maritime industry with various unprecedented challenges that hampered its supply chain and compelled quicker implementation of digital technologies in numerous areas of maritime operations, including the area of MET. As the virus was capable to multiply at a rapid pace with person-to-person interaction, several processes that need the physical presence of working personnel have been either postponed or limited for averting human mobility, as a protection measures against the COVID-19 virus. The termination of physical training programs, lockdown, and travel restrictions have triggered several difficulties for seafarers to obtain or uphold their certificates of proficiency. As the MET industry is also experiencing various challenges in ensuring the endurance of the MET activities, and in coping and adapting to the restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the ship bridge simulator market growth is expected to decline to a certain extent until the pandemic relaxes.

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Aishwarya Korgaonkar holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from the esteemed Mumbai University. Being creative and artistic, she leaped into the field of digital marketing and content writing. Her love for words makes her write creative and spellbinding content that adds colors to the world.

Logistics industry

Restructuring of the Logistics Industry in Response to COVID-19 Chaos

In recent years, logistics has attained increased prominence within businesses due to rising awareness about its strategic, operational, and financial impact on the success of a business. With growing technological advancements, logistics companies are now transforming themselves from a traditional set-up to an IT as well as technology integrated approach to cut down the incurred costs and meet the service demands. However, the sudden outburst of the COVID-19 pandemic has upturned the normal functioning of the logistics sector, leading to the adoption of advanced technologies and safety measures.

Every kind of development impacts several things around the globe. In the same way, various advancements in marketplaces that appear unrelated can have a knock-on effect on how we work and do business. Similar to several other industries, the logistics industry is likely to be greatly impacted by the changes taking place around it. With time, the need for efficient logistics and supply chain has become more important than ever before.

What is Logistics and Why is it in Great Demand?

In recent years, logistics has attained increased prominence within businesses due to rising awareness about its strategic, operational, and financial impact on the success of a business. Logistics firms connect businesses to marketplaces by offering numerous services such as multimodal transportation, freight forwarding, warehousing, and inventory management. They are essential for global manufacturing, which is complex and multi-locational.

Currently, with evolutions in all verticals around the world, the logistics companies are transforming themselves from a traditional set-up to an IT as well as technology integrated approach to cut down the incurred costs and meet service demands. The logistics industry’s growth relies much upon its soft infrastructure including training and policy framework as much as the hard infrastructure.

In order to keep up with the fast-paced economic growth of the logistics sector, it is essential to implement advanced technologies. As per market experts from Research Dive, the growing need for operational efficiency is projected to boost the global logistics market growth in the upcoming years. In addition, developments in technology such as automated material handling devices like GPS, biometrics, etc. help businesses to work skillfully, fueling the global logistics industry growth across the globe.

How has COVID-19 Pandemic Affected the Logistic Sector?

Logistics firms, which are involved in transportation, storage, and flow of goods, have been directly impacted due to the sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a vital part of value chains, both within and across global borders, logistics companies offer trade and commerce and help businesses deliver their products to customers. Disruptions in supply chains due to the pandemic have severely impacted competitiveness, economic growth, and job creation.

In addition, commotion in China’s manufacturing industries rippled through the supply chains across the globe during the pandemic. Shipments were backlogged at China’s main container ports, restrictions in transportation resulted in a dearth of truck drivers to pick up containers, and ocean carriers canceled sailings. Moreover, the shortage of components from China severely affected manufacturing processes overseas. Key industries worldwide, such as electronics, medical equipment and supplies, automotive, pharmaceuticals, and consumer goods were also greatly impacted due to the disruptions in supply chains during the pandemic.

One of the prime trends seen amidst the COVID-19 lockdown was a considerable rise in the e-commerce segment, which caused the business to re-evaluate their logistics footmark and pursue a decentralized approach that could provide enhanced proximity as well as the flexibility to key urban centers, and safeguard their supply chains in a better way against such unprecedented times like the COVID-19 pandemic.

During this worldwide turmoil, several companies have been working on providing technical knowledge to logistics companies, in order to help them implement advanced technologies to simplify their processes and also follow social distancing in the current conditions. Experts have observed that in the logistics industry, roadways and railways are less impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown as compared to waterways and airways. Owing to strict restrictions on global transportation, railways and roadways have emerged extremely vital to keep up the optimum supply chain, especially for vital cargo. During the COVID-19 pandemic, contactless interactions became the top priority, and an enormous upsurge in the demand for IoT smart locks for trucks and warehouses has been observed in many countries.

Numerous logistics companies are currently noticing a return of near normalcy from fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and food sectors while other industrial sectors are likely to take more time to recuperate. Industry experts believe that implementing innovative technologies can help the logistic sector to bounce back at an accelerated speed, in the post-pandemic world.

How has the Logistics Sector Molded itself amidst the COVID-19 Crisis?

The COVID-19 pandemic impact on the global logistics sector is producing ripple effects that can be observed across every other industry. Supply chains are witnessing increasing pressure as the free movement of goods has become more restricted owing to lockdown restrictions applied by government bodies worldwide.

The response of the logistics sector against the pandemic will significantly depend on how well other segments of the global economy are able to acclimatize with the new reality. However, despite the unprecedented conditions created during the COVID-19 pandemic, the logistics sector has managed to bounce back to meeting its customers’ needs; this depicts that the industry is capable enough to make a fairly quick recovery and grow stronger. The pandemic has resulted in protected, easy, contactless pickups and deliveries, which are currently highly preferred by numerous nations globally. Experts have predicted that the logistics sector will reinforce, gradually improve domestic demand, and revitalize the manufacturing sector once the COVID-19 pandemic relaxes. The government of many nations is presently working on enhancing logistic services and promoting the seamless movement of goods by using advanced technologies.

In a nutshell, the logistic industry, at present, is at the edge of adopting technology-led solutions, advanced infrastructure, and skillful resources, which, in the upcoming years, will help in streamlining logistic operations, thus guaranteeing the enhanced quality of services and customer management.

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Aishwarya Korgaonkar holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from the esteemed Mumbai University. Being creative and artistic, she leaped into the field of digital marketing and content writing. Her love for words makes her write creative and spellbinding content that adds colors to the world.