The new platform solution of WNI enables operators to make informed decisions

Taking advantage of the most advanced technologies Weathernews (WNI) has managed to ensure top vessel’s performance in all-weather periods and high quality weather information. In the interview that follows, Elias Makris, Director EU Business Development, Weathernews Inc describes the core services of WNI’s new platform (optimization performance and navigation) and explains the architecture of the new platform which is open to the existing and new partnerships of WNI.

What are your company’s new solutions in regards to the challenges of the decarbonization pathway and energy transition in shipping?

At Weathernews, we have been preparing for the new decarbonization challenges for many years.?Many of our loyal customers have expressed their interest in a complete solution for monitoring, managing, and reducing CO2 missions. In order to collect, cleanse, manage, and project all the important data for all types of vessels, we understood that an innovative and ground-breaking solution was needed. Therefore, we have developed our new “all in one” platform, incorporating all of our core services (optimization, performance, navigation) as well as CII/CO2 target management. In this project, Weathernews has invested all its energy and resources to ensure that our clients are supported and, of course, assured that we are there for them as they embark on this long process and new challenge.

Have you set up new partnerships with companies that have complementary technologies in the field of IoT, Big Data Analytics and AI?

Partnerships are a fundamental part of our DNA at Weathernews. A number of leading companies in the maritime industry have already partnered with us, such as Navtor, Wartsila, and Class NK, as well as VPS, Dataloy, and many others. We recognize that in order to provide the best value for our customers, we need to continually pursue new partnerships with providers across various sectors.

Our new platform is built on open architecture, which makes data integration with other systems seamless and easy. Additionally, our API development team has created APIs for all our services, and we are always open to creating custom APIs tailored to the specific needs of our customers. We believe that by working closely with other providers and being open to new partnerships, we can provide an even more comprehensive and valuable service to our customers.

Describe your company’s involvement in the increasingly powerful ship-to-shore communications, Virtual Reality/real-time monitoring and other similar innovations.?

Our new platform solution is designed to provide unparalleled monitoring capabilities for ships and vessels, with global coverage through Sat AIS and a refresh rate of up to 2 minutes. This means that the shore side can monitor all reports and performance reports of the vessel at any time, ensuring that they are always aware of the vessel’s status and location.?

In addition to this, our platform also provides state-of-the-art weather forecasts for sea and ports, along with safety alerts. This enables the shore side to always stay on top of the vessel’s situation, and to be prepared for any potential hazards or challenges that may arise. To further enhance the capabilities of our platform, we have also developed on-board software that is constantly updated for frequent weather assistance to Master and route planning. This software can be easily shared with the shoreside and our platform, providing even more detailed and accurate information about the vessel’s location and status.

Furthermore, our platform also includes a frequently updated Nautical chart layer, along with navigation alerts such as off-track, grounding, Navareas etc. This enables the shore side to communicate and monitor the vessel’s location and status even more effectively, ensuring that the vessel is always on the right course and avoiding any potential hazards.

Finally, our expert staff is available 24/7 globally, ready to communicate with the shoreside and the vessel to provide support in any case required, such as severe weather or unexpected tropical cyclones projections. With our platform, you can be confident that your vessel is always in safe hands.

Have you developed digitized services to ensure smooth ship operations providing alerts, insights and advice to your customers?

WNI was established with a singular goal in mind: to protect the lives of seafarers. Our founder recognized the need for high-quality weather information, to keep ships and vessels safe and secure, and set out to create a business that would meet this need. Since then, we have developed an extremely sophisticated and fully customizable alerting system. This system makes sure that all the required information is delivered to the right office members in a timely and efficient way, ensuring that any potential hazards or issues are addressed as soon as possible.

In addition to this, we also understand the importance of environmental regulations, and have therefore developed a full service that monitors, informs, alerts, and projects the emissions of vessels, as well as any changes that may occur in the critical indicators (CII/EEOI etc.). This service ensures that our customers are always aware of their vessels’ environmental impact and can take steps to minimize it.

Through our platform and thanks to our risk communicators, our customers are always on the top of the vessel’s performance during all-weather periods, but also against the governing CP. This allows them to make informed decisions and take action to keep their vessels safe and secure, no matter what the conditions may be.

What is the role of the human factor in shipping as the technological developments of autonomous ships, AI and block chain tend to replace the traditional model of hands- on ship management?

With close to 40 years of experience and more than 1100 employees, WNI has always been a company at the forefront of innovation in the market. Throughout the years, we have been involved in several projects related to autonomous shipping, one of the latest being the DFFAS consortium project where a vessel sailed approximately 600NM unmanned. This project showcased the potential of autonomous vessels and the important role that WNI plays in this field.

While WNI is deeply involved in R&D, AI projects and implementing new technologies to our services, we recognize that the most important key element for us is the “human in the loop”. Despite the advancements in AI technology, it is not yet able to completely substitute the human element and role. Therefore, we believe that the combination of AI and human expertise is essential to providing the best possible service to our customers. To accomplish this, we invest a great deal in our people and their expertise. We are developing our teams in a way that they not only adapt to new technologies but also lead developments. This approach ensures that our customers benefit from the most advanced technologies as well as the experience and knowledge of our highly skilled employees.

What is your company’s vision and plans for strengthening your market share and competitiveness in the Greek shipping sector?

WNI is a company that specializes in weather monitoring and has a significant presence in Greece. With 22 employees and an operational center based in Greece, WNI is heavily investing in and believes in the strength and potential of the Greek shipping sector.

At WNI, we do not believe in “business as usual.” The first thing that a new employee will hear is that they do not have customers, but “partners.” Our success is based on the success of our partners, which creates a true and honest relationship. Further, our new platform solution has been well-received by the Greek market as the most advanced at this point. However, this is only the starting point for WNI. We have acquired and allocated a tremendous number of resources to continuously develop more functions and modules that will add value to the shipping sector.

The most important thing to note about WNI is that unlike other competitors, we do not try to impose where the value is. All our research and development come from the voice of our customers. This approach ensures us that the services we provide are tailored to the specific needs of the market that we serve.