The Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) is to support the development of an AI (Artificial intelligence) cruise ship supply forecasting project with a grant to software developer MarineXchange.
Accurate supply chain forecasting is a huge challenge for the cruise sector, the company explained.
Because ships are deployed worldwide, items can have different specifications and pack sizes. For example, consumption patterns depend on guest profiles, seasonal items, substitutions, and menu cycles. In addition, vendor performance, freight and currency exchange rates need to be considered, as does the overall CO2 impact, waste reduction and fair trade.
To help cruise companies in this complex decision-making process, more accurate forecasts are needed.
By using AI, big data analysis and deep learning methods, MarineXchange claimed it will take marine supply chain management to a new level. Latest technologies, such as cloud computing, will be used.
This new functionality will aid contract management, order fulfilment, and vendor collaboration, by allowing more precise forecasting, both for the office and ships. Accurate forecasts will result in lower operating expenses and promote a positive environmental impact, MarineXchange said.
The AI forecasting module will be fully integrated with the MarineXchange supply chain software and e-commerce portal.
The company also said that the Austrian government considered this project highly innovative with great potential and supported it with a grant.
With another software solution recently released, the company claimed that cruise ship operators had expressed strong interest in its facial recognition and thermal imaging software – MXP Protect.
This has led to the company offering free MXP Protect licenses.
“We at MarineXchange want to do our part and will therefore provide free licences for the thermal imaging/facial recognition software solution to all cruise companies,” said Hannes Lindthaler, MarineXchange Software Managing Director.
This solution is part of specific software features included in MXP Protect.
Since guests, crew and visitors can be continuously monitored via thermal scanners, measures can be taken quickly and pro-actively. Via the provided API, integration to other common shipboard systems is possible but is subject to any software limitations on board.
