Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has announced that it has taken a strategic decision to establish a new set of common standards for its onboard IT equipment and system specifications.
The company will apply these new standards from the design phase of newbuilding vessels, and then gradually roll them out to existing vessels as well.
This initiative is part of the company’s DX Action 2.0 strategy, under the Group Management Plan BLUE ACTION 2035 Phase 2, which will see MOL review its onboard networks and other systems to further advance standardisation across the fleet.
The Japanese vessel operator notes that the IT equipment and systems installed on its ships have historically differed depending on the vessel type, shipyard, and ship management company. These differences brought a host of challenges, such as the need to conduct feasibility studies for each individual vessel when introducing new systems, hindering efficient system utilisation.
By standardising onboard IT equipment and systems, MOL aims to gradually establish a foundation that will enable the effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies on board, as well as contributing to more robust cybersecurity.
