RaaEdge puts ships on the fast track towards decarbonisation

While international shipping is crucial for world trade, it is also a growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. Maritime transport emits about 940 million metric tons of CO₂ annually, or roughly 2.5 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

A fast way to reduce emissions in the short run is to leverage vessel data to optimise operations. But high-quality data remains a scarce resource in the maritime industry. Systems operate in silos. Data is not standardised and tends to be unstructured and without context. In short, most owners and operators lack the data-based information they need to make the best decisions for their operations and for the environment.

RaaEdge gives vessel owners and operators access to the data they need to optimise their operations. RaaEdge provides the data to the vessel in a standardised, contextualised form, making it useful for comparisons across systems, vessels and fleets. It also ensures that the data continues to flow reliably over time.

“Data is the raw material and we are the miners. Vessel data is like the diamond on the street. If you pick it up, it will vastly improve your vessel performance,” says Marjamaa.

The RaaEdge solution consists of onboard software and hardware, but it also provides a data pipeline between the vessel and the cloud. It is technology agnostic, modular and scalable.

Any digital signal can be connected to RaaEdge, making it a data hub onboard the vessels. Data can be captured from retrofitted sensors, input from the crew or onboard components such as engine systems, all of which help to identify areas of improvement.

RaaEdge is offered as an infrastructure-as-a-service model. “We are actually a solution service. We manage the complex data environment so that vessel owners, operators and crews can focus on what they do best. They don’t have to think about the data; they just use it,” says Marjamaa.

Ships using the RaaEdge solution can quickly reduce their fossil-fuel consumption through data-driven efficiency measures. A prime example is the global shipping company Wallenius Wilhelmsen, which is significantly reducing its environmental footprint with the help of RaaEdge.

In a recent publication, Wallenius Wilhelmsen stated that by digitalising its fleet the company is on target to reduce emissions by 10 to 15 per cent.

Lower fuel consumption also means significant financial savings for vessels, whose fuel use can comprise more than half of their total operating costs. In addition, RaaEdge helps to improve worker safety and facilitates proper equipment maintenance, risk monitoring and mitigation, and compliance with environmental reporting requirements.

In 2021, the number of ships in the world fleet is estimated at 54 000, an increase of 18 per cent since 2016. Most of these vessels are not tapping the enormous potential of their onboard data. Moreover, the maritime industry is under pressure to become more sustainable. For example, the International Maritime Organization has adopted mandatory measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping under the MARPOL pollution prevention treaty.

RaaEdge’s core customer base includes vessel owners and operators, ship managers and equipment manufacturers. RaaEdge is already supporting some of the leading maritime players in their efforts to reduce emissions.

“I’m excited that we can make a difference in the maritime industry. Our service makes other people’s lives easier. They can rely on us. They don’t have to do it all themselves,” Marjamaa concludes.