DATA OWNERSHIP AND ACCESS IN MARITIME
BEST PRACTICE GUIDELINES
Created by the Smart Maritime Council, a cross-industry membership group consisting of stakeholders from across the maritime sector, this ‘Best Practice Recommendations for Data Ownership and Access in the Maritime Industry’ publication sets out a list of suggested considerations when entering into agreements for the supply of shipboard equipment, products and services.
Shipping companies are encouraged to discuss the issues outlined in the guidelines with their suppliers when entering into a contractual relationship so as to ensure that issues of data ownership and access are agreed at the beginning of the purchasing process, and that any subsequent usage of the data created by vessel systems is based on the principle of informed consent between both parties.
This document is free to download and available to all industry stakeholders with the aim of encouraging improved access to shipboard data and assisting vessel operators in maximising the value of their digital assets, to support the ongoing digitalisation of the sector and drive improved safety, reliability and efficiency in ocean transport.
A Smart Maritime Council initiative
Supplementary Materials
ISO 19848: Ships and marine technology — Standard data for shipboard machinery and equipment
Standardised ISO 19848 Codebooks and Data Catalogues are available directly from:
- ISO – click here.
- Japan Ship Machinery and Equipment Association (JSMEA) – click here.
- DNV – click here.
The Internet of Ships Open Platform (IoS-OP): a contractual framework for maritime data sharing
The Internet of Ship Open Platform (IoS-OP) was created in Japan in 2015 to provide a physical infrastructure and legal framework for data sharing amongst a consortium of maritime stakeholders that includes 67 companies (as of end August 2022). Data collection and utilisation within the platform is managed by Ship Data Center, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Smart Maritime Council member ClassNK.
Within IoS-OP, stakeholders involved in data collection and usage are organised into categories defining data access based on their differing objectives. To learn more about IoS-OP data stakeholder roles – click here.
The platform also offers a contractual model that legally defines the different relationships between parties using the platform when it comes to the exchange of data, based on their stakeholder roles. To learn about these terms of use – click here.
For a complete overview of IoS-OP and how it manages data ownership and access, you can download a whitepaper outlining the operation of the platform by clicking here.