Together for the benefit of the Baltic Sea region
The main challenges addressed in both EXOPRODIGI and its predecessor ECOPRODIGI are the environmental state of the Baltic Sea, the growing global competition facing the region’s maritime industry, and the industry-wide need for digitalisation of processes and data-driven operations.
Innovative solutions are therefore needed to reduce fuel consumption, material waste and emissions as well as to improve eco-efficiency in operations. By developing and implementing digital tools and solutions, EXOPRODIGI continues to address these pressing issues and concerns. Furthermore, by focusing on the utilisation of new digital technologies the project strives to improve the competitiveness of the region’s maritime industry in the global market.
To maximise the project's scope and impact, EXOPRODIGI’s partnership includes shipping and maritime logistics companies, shipyards, digital solution providers, universities and other organisations working with the maritime industry from around the region.
Building on the potential discovered in the previous project
By building on the findings of and lessons learned from ECOPRODIGI, the intention of EXOPRODIGI is to enhance the capacity of maritime industry end-users at various stages of vessel life-cycle; i.e. during voyages, cargo stowage operations and assembly processes at shipyards.
Digital performance monitoring was explored in ECOPRODIGI as a way for shipowners to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, prevent engine breakdowns, and decrease maintenance and repair costs without the need to replace old vessels with new ones. In EXOPRODIGI, the aim is to enhance the digital decision support tool piloted in the original project to be more dynamic and better compatible with user needs in different settings.
When it comes to improving processes and production planning at shipyards, the findings from ECOPRODIGI indicated that the use of 3D scanning technology in block assembly and retrofitting phases decreases deviations, reduces material waste, energy and time consumption, and improves quality control of shipyards’ production processes. In EXOPRODIGI, the focus is on developing shipyard facilities and workflows with the help of 3D scanning.
As for cargo stowage, the findings from ECOPRODIGI indicated that the utilisation of digital technologies such as models, algorithms, and simulation tools for dual cycling and digital forecasting tools estimating when specific cargo items are discharged from ships, can significantly improve the loading and discharging of vessels. EXOPRODIGI partners continue to explore these and other benefits with the intention to implement a “Proof-of-Concept” for cargo stowage optimisation.
Nine months of intense implementation
As is usually the case with extension projects, the implementation time for EXOPRODIGI is only nine months. Given this time frame, the objectives of the project and the challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the implementation itself is a fairly intense process. However, what the project lacks in duration it makes it up for in determination. The development activities are currently well under way and the partners are working together to ensure that project objectives are met in the best possible manner.
Would you like to know more? Join a webinar!
To share insights into the work done in the project and to present the benefits digital tools and solutions can provide, EXOPRODIGI partners invite anyone working with digital technologies and/or sustainable maritime transportation to a webinar “Navigating towards eco-efficiency – Best practices and inspiring examples in AI, 3D and process development” which takes place on Thursday, the 10th of June 2021 at 11.00-13.30 (CEST). The webinar focuses on issues such as utilisation of 3D and AI solutions in maritime and other industries, process optimisation with the help of digital technologies, and collaboration between digital solution providers and industry end-users. For more information and registration, visit EXOPRODIGI’s website.
EXOPRODIGI in a nutshell
Duration: 01/01/2021 – 30/09/2021
Total budget: 879,196.23 €
Lead partner: Pan-European Institute of the University of Turku.
Website: www.ecoprodigi.eu/exoprodigi
Twitter: @ECOPRODIGI_BSR
