New Magazine Highlights Practical Tech Buying for Shipowners
SplashTech, a freshly launched magazine dedicated to the intersection of technology and shipping, hit the market today. Its inaugural issue, edited by Sam Chambers, compiles original interviews, industry data and case studies to cut through the hype and focus on what truly works both onboard and ashore.
What the publication covers
- Artificial intelligence and digital return‑on‑investment
- Interoperability, data ownership and cyber‑risk management
- Workforce skill development and fleet‑wide technology scaling
- Edge computing, consolidation trends and practical cost‑saving measures
Distributed in print, at maritime events and online, SplashTech brings together shipowners, technologists and senior executives to discuss the commercial and operational impact of emerging solutions.
Four Questions Every Shipowner Should Pose Before Signing a New Software Deal
After analysing countless statements from technology providers, Chambers concludes that shipowners do not need to become tech experts—they need to become smarter buyers. He recommends four non‑negotiable questions before any contract is signed.
1. What exact savings will the solution deliver?
Vague promises such as “up to 5 % efficiency” are insufficient. Insist on a baseline, clearly defined KPIs and a realistic timeline for when measurable benefits must appear. Savings may extend beyond fuel reduction to include off‑hire avoidance, reclaimed crew hours, fewer maintenance interventions and lower compliance costs.
2. Will the solution integrate with my existing fleet?
Demo environments rarely reflect the complexity of mixed‑age vessels that carry decades of machinery, legacy software and diverse communication systems. Ask for integration costs, required APIs, expected implementation time and, crucially, the effort needed to replace the vendor later. A solution that locks you into a six‑month data‑extraction project is not a purchase—it is a dependency.
3. Who owns the operational data?
Data generated on board should remain under the owner’s control. Clarify access rights, purpose, retention periods and any secondary use. With AI‑driven tools, verify whether your data will be used to train models for other customers and ensure explicit consent is recorded before any bytes leave the ship.
4. Does the vendor truly understand ships?
Many software engineers have never experienced a fouled hull, an intermittent sensor, or a de‑rated engine. Request evidence that key personnel have hands‑on ship‑operating experience and can translate digital models into the messy reality of maritime operations. Without that insight, even the most sophisticated AI can produce confident but misleading recommendations.
The hidden fifth question
Underlying the four prompts is a broader inquiry: Does this technology actually make ship management easier? If the answer adds another invoice, creates a data silo or burdens the superintendent with extra troubleshooting, the solution fails its primary purpose.
For the full edition of SplashTech, which includes deeper analysis and additional expert commentary, visit the publisher’s digital platform.