Today, the maritime industry is facing significant uncertainty due to tightening environmental regulations and a shortage of skilled labor. To transform traditional ship operations, collecting fundamental “operational data” is essential. seawise was established in November 2022 as a joint venture among several companies sharing this awareness of the challenges.
By accumulating and leveraging this data, we can reinvest its value into the industry, enabling innovations such as autonomous navigation, which may well become mainstream in the future.
One of the greatest challenges is complying with environmental regulations. Meeting these requirements will necessitate a fundamental reform of existing operations, and within a few decades, ship operation decision-making will likely become fully data-driven.
Beyond operational data, we also identified the need for a centralized system to manage what we call the “vessel’s karte.” This record captures onboard conditions and data collected from various equipment and devices. Just like human health checkups, having both real-time operational monitoring and snapshots of vessel conditions can enhance ship value.
Another key challenge lies in digitalizing the repair process. Currently, repair-related information is often handled individually in Excel or PDF files. Moving forward, it is crucial to migrate this data onto standardized platforms to improve efficiency and transparency.
At seawise, contributing to international GHG (greenhouse gas) regulations set by the IMO is an urgent priority, in line with the industry-wide goal of achieving carbon neutrality and net zero. While regulatory compliance is essential, it is not the final objective—the industry must pursue deeper and broader reductions in GHG emissions.
In particular, new frameworks such as the EU-led FuelEU Maritime, which have a significant impact on operating costs, present challenges that shipowners cannot ignore. With environmental awareness growing globally, the real issue is how to simultaneously comply with regulations and further reduce emissions.
We envision future vessels as data-driven and autonomously operated, capable of optimizing voyages according to diverse needs. For example, next-generation wind-assisted ships will not only adjust sail angles and heights based on wind conditions, but also autonomously determine multiple parameters—such as fine-tuning engine output or optimizing route planning—that are difficult for humans to manage consistently.
Of course, different vessel types will remain best suited for specific cargos and trades, so “the right ship for the right trade” will still be the foundation. However, by collecting and visualizing data, we can optimize operations within that framework, paving the way toward autonomous navigation. This approach not only ensures regulatory compliance but also enhances vessel value, boosts economic efficiency, and contributes to sustainable maritime logistics where no stakeholder is left at a disadvantage.
We see two main approaches to expanding our data platform. The first is to enhance customer-oriented services in order to increase the number of users. The second is to attract developers by building a strong and active user base.
As a platform provider, seawise is building an ecosystem where both users and developers can interact. To accelerate this, we are developing and offering our own applications. In the future, once a solid user community is in place, we intend to encourage developers by saying: “Here are users with these specific needs—why not use our data to create services for them?” Through this approach, we aim to broaden the platform’s reach across the entire maritime industry.
seawise is committed to bridging the past and future of the maritime industry through innovation born from the fusion of technology and real-world expertise.
We are not merely a system development company—we are a driving force behind value circulation within the industry, and a forward-looking partner dedicated to passing the oceans on to the next generation.
As we move forward, we will continue to work hand in hand with those on the front lines, charting new courses together.
