SMW 2025: ZeroNorth highlights critical links between data quality and maritime energy transition

While regulations are important, implementing practical technological solutions and maintaining high-quality data are crucial for successful decarbonisation in the maritime industry, believes the Chief Operating Officer of maritime technology solutions provider ZeroNorth.

“It takes is a combination of not only regulation but also good technology because if you choose more regulation without good solutions it can end up with more bureaucracy and actually less execution,” stated Anders Schulze during the Meeting the Challenges of IMO 2030 panel discussion session at Sea Asia 2025.

Compared to two years ago, Schulze observed a significant increase in willingness from shipowners, operators and charterers to roll up their sleeves and implement solutions for FuelEU and EU ETS.

“Two years ago, it was a lot of PowerPoints and long-term planning, and people were adopting a ‘wait and see’ attitude. Right now, people are doing something about it and craving solutions,” he said.

“What we’re seeing from operators day-to-day is a willingness to get these solutions right at their fingertips.

“They really want to be empowered with solutions where they can check mark, track regulatory requirements and compliance tasks to support day-to-day workflows.”

However, Schulze pointed out while it is a thing to adapt to new regulations, it is another to adapt to new technologies for implementing these regulations.

“Reading a lot of reports, trying to stitch a solution together with spreadsheets is just not going to do the trick. You’ve got to implement good technologies that are talking together,” he explained.

“A phrase we’re hearing is garbage in, garbage out, and this is even more important now than ever in this era of Generative AI. But the reality is that if you don’t have good data, you can’t really use Generative AI for a whole lot of things,

“What we’re doing now with our customers is to help them cleanse the data and create a data health score for their company.

“Last year, we saw an improvement of 60% and there’s a clear correlation with tangible results, such as taking better chartering decisions, reducing expenditure on bunker fuel, and reduction of fines from lack of compliance.

“Having good data, which also offers competitive advantages, is a prerequisite for surviving the future.”

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 3 April 2025