Classification society DNV and Shandong Shipping Tanker Co (SDST) have announced the launch of a new Joint Innovation Studio to explore, develop and promote maritime projects in the digital and sustainability space.
According to DNV, the shift towards a more digital and sustainable maritime industry is both a monumental challenge and an opportunity. New fuels, technologies, and operational methods will require cooperation from different stakeholders and a mindset of innovation and exploration.
To realise these possibilities, DNV and SDST have launched the dedicated Joint Innovation Studio, which has emerged from a cooperation framework agreement signed in November 2023, to serve as a platform for SDST to carry out technical cooperation with DNV in the shipping and maritime industries. With a goal of helping to achieve carbon neutrality and promoting data-smart shipping, the Studio will explore and promote the application of decarbonisation technologies and smarter digitalisation, providing technical support and solutions for the transformation of the shipping industry.
The Joint Innovation Studio, co-managed by SDST and the DNV Maritime Smart Center, will be based at SDST’s Qingdao headquarters. Established to drive collaboration on decarbonisation and digitalisation, it aims to grow collectively with industry leaders in this transformative decade. The Studio’s activities will kick off with a joint innovation project, to cooperate on value-chain GHG management covering:
- An analysis of business scenarios, key use cases, implementation processes, and the required support system, relating to the GHG management of SDST’s own fleet and stakeholders across the value chain;
- Joint development and implementation of an Emissions Trading System (ETS) management module for SDST’s fleet technical and commercial operation systems;
- Joint development and implementation of a fuel strategy operational support module to enable a compliant and cost-effective transition to greener fuels for the SDST fleet;
- Exploration and support of GHG co-management along the value chain, in cooperation with cargo owners, charterers, financiers, insurers, and other stakeholders.
Norbert Kray, Regional Manager Greater China, DNV Maritime said: “The complexity of the challenges facing our industry means that we need a new level of collaboration, over the long-term, that sets aside competitive instincts for a more sustainable future. DNV is proud to be working with future focussed partners like SDST, because they recognise that we need to activate the entire value chain, act now, and work towards a new golden age of maritime innovation.”
