"Start collecting data now to future-proof your fleet"

In a world where the only constant is change, maritime operators face a unique challenge: the ships you design, build, or purchase today will still be sailing in 15 to 25 years. There are no shortcuts. You can’t pivot overnight. Which means if you want to stay competitive — commercially, operationally, and environmentally — your future starts now. 

This is where future-proofing comes in. And there is one key to this, according to Jeremy Daoust, Vice President of Product Innovation at OneOcean: 

“You need to start capturing good quality data.” 

The reason is twofold: the central role of technology in the rapid changes taking place, and the need to take a view on what will have the most impact on your business. 

“Future-proofing is about having a repository of signals: knowing what’s coming, mapping a timeline of regulation, technology, and market shifts, and having a plan against that timeline. Then building purposefully, with data, insight, and a clear strategic mission.”

Central to every discussion about transformation in all industries is the role of AI. Jeremy says AI in shipping isn’t a silver bullet. It’s a precision tool, but only when paired with structured, high-quality data.

“If your data is well reasoned and well structured,” says Jeremy, “AI can give you real insights. But it starts with capturing quality data and building the digital environment that allows AI to be useful.”

OneOcean is already applying AI across products like Risk Manager — generating high-performance predictive models, simulating vessel behaviour, and enabling smarter shoreside decisions. It is also using a set of Large Language Models (LLMs) in Regs4ships to develop a bespoke solution for mapping curated, analyst-verified regulatory content against what mariners need in real-world situations.

That AI is underpinned by real experience. As Barry Hooper, VP of Product & Technology for OneOcean’s Perform business, notes:

“We’ve been applying machine learning to vessel performance since 2008. Our people have been optimising voyages using algorithms since the late 1980s. That legacy gives us a depth of understanding — and a knowledge of what not to do — that’s rare in maritime technology.”

Future-proofing starts with a hard truth: because the vessels you’re sailing today are likely to be the same ones you’ll sail into the 2030s, the choices you make now about technology infrastructure, data partners and operational strategy will define your competitiveness for decades.

As the person responsible for looking into the future for OneOcean and leading the required innovations to meet those opportunities, Jeremy Daoust proposes a framework for making these decisions.

“Be purposeful in a mission and a vision. Ask yourself: what is the future I see, what is my role in this industry?  Stick to your strategy and incrementally build upon it.”

He describes digital infrastructure as the gateway. Whether it’s reducing fuel consumption, planning for next-generation fuels, or enabling AI-driven insights — digital providers like OneOcean give you the right tools to evolve. 

Tony Brown, SVP of Product – Navigation & Compliance, explains it clearly: “We maintain the tech stack underneath it all to ensure long-term stability, adaptability, and security. We’re helping our customers build the bridge between today and tomorrow.”

Jeremy says there are four key areas to focus on to prepare for future change.

1. The energy transition

As regulatory demands intensify — from carbon credits to compliance tracking — a secure, future-ready system which stays up to date becomes your operational backbone.

“Risk Manager helps fleets manage carbon exposure, trade credits smartly, and stay aligned with FuelEU, EU ETS and beyond.”

Fuel is key. No single fuel will solve the zero-carbon challenge. Jeremy says you will have to start building optionality in fuels, whether your future includes hydrogen, methanol, ammonia or even nuclear. It starts with understanding fuel technology.

“You need to build a plan to hedge your bets towards a fuel technology that’s going to be adopted in the future, and that is not trivial.”

Having a plan is also becoming fundamental to fundraising. Jeremy says, “Money often comes with green clauses: you need to demonstrate green credentials and a plan. And if it’s your money, how do you know where to invest?”

OneOcean benefits from being part of Lloyd’s Register, which has a range of programmes geared towards the energy transition. So, the organisation is plugged into the latest thinking in the area and translates this into training and information tools that support change.

Jeremy says it starts with people.

“Whatever fuel we choose, I need to understand how to manipulate it, I need to understand how to load it, how to discharge it, consume it, move it and the technology around it.”

“Our thinking starts with: let’s train the people, make sure they feel certified and are competent to do this work.”

2. Talent: the new competitive edge

One underappreciated dimension of future-proofing? People.

Labour shortages are growing. Fewer individuals from traditional seafaring nations are choosing life at sea. Jeremy says the problem is not necessarily the quantity of people who are willing to go to sea. It is finding the right people that counts.

“The ability to find talented, really experienced people, that’s going to get really hard.”

So how do we make maritime careers appealing again and ensure a ready flow of highly-skilled seafarers? Jeremy makes a compelling point:

“The industry is going to have to make going to sea attractive and modern. How do the new generation of people want to consume information? What is the gamification of digital solutions on ship to make me excited about going to sea? I think a lot of it is going to be about leveraging really important technology to make the experience of the seafarer on ship a lot more interesting.”

“I’m looking at other industries to learn from. Duolingo, as an example, has made an experience out of learning.”

So, attracting the next generation of maritime talent will depend on how digital your operation feels, not just how compliant it is.

“Digital solutions will be used not to go towards hyperautomation but towards an enhanced experience for the seafarer as a kind of augmented reality.”

3. Regulations and risk

The pace of regulatory change has stepped up in the last decade, and even more since COVID. The signs are it will only increase. Keeping up with the latest regulations is a big issue for today. Identifying what is coming down the line is one to make sure you are ready for tomorrow.

OneOcean’s suite of solutions track, tag, organise and communicate the latest regulations from all sources. Customers can therefore spend their time identifying where the legislation is going and how to respond.

Barry Hooper says, “We want to help inform the decisions you make; we can improve the depth, value and quality of the decisions.”

And digital tools can help identify wider risks, says Jeremy Daoust.

“We have the best Safety Management System and Technical Management solutions. These enable customers to try new things, such as different fuels, to future-proof at lower risk. That’s because we provide a basket of technologies to operationalise these solutions and capture the data to make better decisions for this year, next year, the year after — iteratively upping our game.”

4. More integrated ship/shore operations

Jeremy says that with better connectivity, ship/shore integration is happening quickly.

“Starlink has been a disruptor. The clearer the connection between ship and shore, the more opportunity there is for an autonomous ship, or certainly automated technologies.

“You’ll see shore centres starting to form as operating centres that have much more power over decision-making, and a smaller contingent on ship — more execution.”

He thinks this will be particularly present on bigger services, such as cruise liners or container ships.

“It’s very predictable where these ships are headed, a pre-defined route. That kind of model aligns very well with shoreside decision making.”

The OneOcean Platform indicates where things are going, with far greater connectivity between those on board and those ashore.

We are moving toward a hybrid future, where ships are operated collaboratively by onboard and shoreside teams, AI supports human decision-making, and regulation, security and sustainability are part of everyday operations.

You do not need to make the leap all at once. Start by laying a solid digital foundation. Connect ship and shore. Equip your teams with the tools and workflows that will shape the future.

Because future-proofing is not about predicting what comes next. It is about being prepared for it.

OneOcean is here to help you build that readiness, one step at a time.