Finnlines, a leading operator of ropaxes in the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, has signed an agreement with NAPA, a maritime software and data services solution provider.
Under the agreement, NAPA will install electronic reporting, fleet monitoring and stability management solutions software on two newbuilding ‘Superstar’ class ropaxes.
The two highly innovative vessels, which will use several energy-saving technologies, will operate between Finland and Sweden.
NAPA’s digital solutions will harness the detailed, traceable data in the ships’ logs on all aspects of operations, and use it to generate insights on safety, efficiency, compliance, and sustainability for the sisterships ’Finnsirius’ and ’Finncanopus’ – thanks to enhanced data capturing and sharing between on board and shoreside teams.
The two ships will be equipped with NAPA’s electronic Logbooks, which will automate and streamline mandatory reporting and record keeping required by the flag state and under the IMO’s MARPOL and SOLAS conventions. This will help reduce the administrative burden for crews, save time and limit the risk of errors, the company said.
’Finnsirius’ and ’Finncanopus’ will be the first ships under the Finnish flag to be fitted with the new NAPA Logbook with cloud-based Fleet Intelligence modules, which enable real-time data exchange between crew on board and Finnlines’ onshore organisation.
This operational data will be integrated and analysed to identify opportunities for further optimisation, supporting Finnlines’ commitment to sustainable and efficient operations.
Furthermore, the two vessels will feature NAPA’s stability management solution, which is already used by other Finnlines’ vessels.
This software enables ship and shoreside teams to share and view all stability data, including loading conditions, stability margins, and watertight door status, in real time, thereby supporting a more proactive approach to voyage safety and planning.
Built by the China Merchants Jinling shipyard, the two ‘Superstar’ class vessels offer greater capacity compared to other ropaxes in the fleet, carrying up to 1,100 pax each and 5,200 lane metres of cargo, as well as enhanced energy efficiency and environmental performance.
‘Finnsirius’ is expected to be delivered in July, 2023 and will enter into service in the autumn, while ’Finncanopus’ is scheduled to begin operations by the end of the year.
Pasi Väänänen, Technical Superintendent at Finnlines, said: “Our sea connections are a vital link between countries bordering the Baltic Sea and the North Sea, bringing people together and supporting businesses and supply chains in the region. We are dedicated to meeting this important need for maritime transport as efficiently, safely, and sustainably as possible.
“Proper data capturing and analysis on board our vessels is an essential foundation for progress on all these aspects. We are proud to pursue our digital journey with NAPA, which will provide our teams with the data they need not only to ensure compliance, but also to further optimise our overall business operations moving forward,” he said.
Esa Henttinen, NAPA’s Executive Vice President for Safety Solutions, said: “We are proud to partner with Finnlines, an industry leader with a long-standing commitment to sustainability, as they further strengthen their operations with enhanced data collection and sharing.
“This partnership is a tangible example of the new opportunities that shipping can unlock with its on board operational data, with efficiencies that go beyond navigation and route optimisation.
Beyond mandatory reporting, this data can be integrated and analysed to deliver insights that will inform actions to deliver more efficient and sustainable operations.
“More than reporting on results, greater data collection is also an opportunity to improve those results. By streamlining various reporting on technical, environmental, vessel discharge and waste management, including MARPOL, ESG, IMO DCS, EU MRV, and CII, we can monitor and boost efficiency on a wide range of operational factors, from fuel efficiency to waste management and safety, for example.
“This is why electronic reporting solutions are bound to play a key role in the de-carbonisation transition, helping companies harness their data for better decision-making,” he concluded.
