RINA’s 2024 International Conference on Computer Applications in Shipbuilding (ICCAS), which was hosted in Genoa in September last year, has received an in-depth write-up in Dutch publication SWZ|Maritime.
The article, authored by editor Annelinde Gerritsen, reports on a number of papers presented at ICCAS 2024, including presentations from: Fincantieri; Dassault Systemes; Korean Register; Prostep; Cochin Shipyard; Navantia; the Universities of Genoa, Kyushu and Tokyo; Italian class society RINA; Siemens Digital; and SSI, among many others. The report covers topics such as Industry 4.0, CAD systems, digital twins and simulations, as well as a focus on how increased adoption of AI could benefit shipbuilding processes and vessel route optimisation, for example.
“Designing a ship for the best operation in the maritime ecosystem it’s in is is all about predicting the future,” writes Gerritsen. “New technologies make predictions more and more accurate. By ‘playing’ with different scenarios, possibilities are endless. At [ICCAS 2024], a lot of innovative solutions were presented.”
The article also emphasises the importance of “encouraging a culture of challenge and collaboration” for the industry to truly take advantage of the benefits offered by digital transformation. “Studies show that only about 5% of digitalisation projects meet their objectives, highlighting the difficulties organisations face,” Gerritsen writes. “While 30-40% of success can be attributed to the technology itself, a significant 60-70% relies on people – underscoring the importance of team engagement supported by digital tools.
“The transition is not simply about adopting new technologies; it also involves a shift in mindset. This is not easy for everyone.”
The PDF of Part 1 of the complete SWZ|Maritime article is free to download here.
