The UK has provided funding for a program called MaritimeTwin, a digital twin program that aims to reduce maritime emissions by 15%. The program will use satellite and digital twin technology to optimize shipping routes and reduce environmental impact.
The MaritimeTwin prototype will integrate real-time satellite data with advanced digital twin technology, a virtual representation of a real-world object, system, or process. This will enable accurate route planning, fuel consumption optimization, and emissions monitoring to help support decarbonization while strengthening the UK’s clean maritime industry.
MaritimeTwin will provide shipping operators with a tool to simulate various scenarios and make data-driven decisions that balance operational efficiency with environmental impact. This features the incorporation of real-time environmental data, including weather patterns, ocean currents, and port conditions.
“The pace and complexity of pathways to decarbonisation for maritime transport demands rigorous and independent research,” said Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer, IDRIC’s Director at Heriot-Watt University. “The MaritimeTwin consortium will enable rapid development and deployment of a transformative solution for the maritime industry through close collaboration and access to real-world testing to accelerate commercialisation.”
Led by CGI, a global independent IT and business consulting services firm, the program was backed by UK’s SEEDS (Sustainability Exploration and Environmental Data Science) program with Maritime UK, and the Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC) at Heriot-Watt University.
