For Cetus Maritime, digitalisation should focus on improving how existing systems perform for the people who rely on them. Tabitha Logan, Director of Projects at Cetus Maritime, says the company has spent the previous phase of its digital programme building strong foundations, including connectivity, data structures and cybersecurity.
The company has rolled out Starlink across its fleet while continuing work on data structure, interoperability and cyber risk. The priority now is to convert that infrastructure into practical operational value.
“We are now looking at the next stage: harnessing this connectivity to provide actionable insights focused on proven engine optimization and to reduce the manual administrative tasks for our crew,” Logan says.
For Logan, the main constraint is the workload placed on seafarers when using digital systems.
The data and workload problem
Manual data entry remains a significant source of friction onboard. Even with new platforms in place, crews are still required to collect and input information, which creates pressure alongside their operational duties.
“I see friction points in the manual data entry and crew workload,” Logan says. “Even with new platforms, collecting clean data still relies heavily on manual input, so balancing digital adoption without adding administrative burden to seafarers remains our biggest hurdle.”
Training is another ongoing challenge. As systems evolve, both crew and shore teams need to develop new skills, while regulatory frameworks do not always evolve at the same pace.
“Regulatory changes are lagging behind which means the burden shifts to us as Owners and Operators to build our own internal governance to stay safe and commercially viable,” she says.
Logan identifies fuel optimisation, EU ETS and FuelEU compliance, and crew connectivity as areas where digital tools are already delivering measurable benefits. The difficulty increases when data must move between different systems.
“I think the industry generally agrees that digitalization is paying off in fuel optimisation, regulatory compliance for EUETS and Fuel EU and delivering reliable crew connectivity,” she says. “Where it still falls short is in data interoperability.”
Without shared standards, data can remain isolated within individual platforms. Logan also points to similar issues emerging between ships and ports, where differing levels of digital maturity and legacy infrastructure can disrupt data exchange across the wider supply chain.
“My view is on the data flow side. Hardware and connectivity have become more reliable but without harmonised data formats across our legacy and new systems, we will continue to have bottlenecks.”
For Cetus, interoperability is therefore a central factor when evaluating new technology. Any solution must integrate into the existing data environment while remaining adaptable to future needs.
“Value and security are important to us,” Logan says. “We evaluate new technology based on proven operational ROI, ease of integration, and its impact on workflow.”
User adoption is equally critical. Even well-designed systems can fail if they are not properly embedded into daily operations.
“Without genuine buy-in from either crew and/or shore teams, even the most advanced digital tool will fail to be fully adopted.”
The impact of poor integration can also emerge over time. Ongoing manual verification, repeated training requirements and excessive system customisation can all increase operational strain.
“We have also learnt that without defining a clear Statement of Work before commencing a project, this can result in endless customisation tweaks, which lead to new bugs, increased costs and disruption to the end user.”
Digital Ship Summit
Logan’s perspective on maritime IT infrastructure also extends to how systems may evolve in the coming years. She expects more processing to take place onboard, with vessels handling data locally and transmitting only selected insights ashore.
“We might see a shift towards edge computing where local on board servers can process the data on the ship and send key insights to shore.”
This approach could support applications such as real-time engine monitoring and dynamic weather routing, while also reducing the volume of sensitive data transmitted off the vessel.
However, Logan emphasises that technology alone will not determine success. Data quality and governance will be the deciding factors in whether these systems generate meaningful insight or additional complexity.
“Without clear data ownership, standardized definitions, and strict security protocols, access to data creates noise instead of actionable insights.”
Her view of the industry’s direction is therefore grounded in practicality. She calls for a stronger focus on real operational outcomes and the people responsible for using these systems.
“An open and honest conversation around the realities of digitalisation in maritime. A move away from buzzwords toward practical use cases and how we upskill our crew and employees to keep up with the changing landscape,” Logan says.
For her, the key questions remain operational: whether digital systems genuinely reduce administrative workload for crews, deliver measurable return on investment, and maintain security across increasingly connected fleets.
