ABS Innovation and Technology
ABS continues to lead marine and offshore innovation. In a constantly evolving industry, ABS works alongside its partners tackling the most pressing technical, operational and regulatory challenges so that the marine and offshore industries operate more safely, securely and responsibly.
As a digital organization, ABS leads classification into the future by leveraging data and digital technology as it transforms its core services and drives new and innovative solutions for the marine and offshore industries. For many stakeholders, today’s industry transformation is focused on improving productivity, efficiency and optimization by embracing digitization and connectivity. As an industry leader, ABS understands the importance of recognizing shifts in talent requirements and development, leveraging data and employing a convergent mindset that values safety, technical viability economic feasibility and societal sustainability to better serve the industry.
Future Ready: Advancing from Automated to Autonomous Shipping. An autonomous ship is a marine vessel with sensors, automated navigation, propulsion and auxiliary systems, with the necessary decision logic to follow mission plans, sense the environment, adjust mission execution according to the environment, and potentially operate without human intervention. The concept of the autonomous ship is accelerating globally, primarily driven by governments. The journey from automated to autonomous is complicated, but logical. As vessels adapt to more sensors, health and performance monitoring, and performance optimization, they will become smart assets. These vessels rely on quality, security and integrity of data, overall system cyber security and operational software. They can be unmanned, or controlled remotely from off-board control centers.
Emerging Inspection Technologies. The maritime industry’s interest in advanced inspection technologies is on the rise. Increasing complexity of marine and offshore assets and associated operational activities are prompting a shift in how classification services are delivered. ABS is helping to lead the way forward in applying these technologies to augment, and perhaps supplant, traditional class-related surveys or inspections going forward.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution. The pace of technological change is propelling us into the heart of the fourth industrial revolution. The fusion of technologies in the cyber world are blurring the lines between physical, digital and biological spheres – connecting people, systems and data. Digitization and connectivity is transforming our marine and offshore industries through sensors, as well as data and autonomous systems, improving both performance and compliance. The new norm is data-intensive and requires us to continuously adapt to technological change. At ABS, we are innovating with data and digital capabilities to safety and effectively bring these technologies to the maritime industry.
