Christos Spandonidis, Prisma Electronics S.A.
Fotios Giannopoulos, Prisma Electronics S.A.
Zafiris Tzioridis, Prisma Electronics S.A.
Alexandros Nikolaou, Prisma Electronics S.A.
Christos Giordamlis,
Christos Giordamlis, Managing Director, CEO, Prisma Electronics S.A.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is revolutionizing the modern maritime industry by enabling greater efficiency, safety, and sustainability. Through IoT, ships and ports are equipped with interconnected sensors and devices that collect and share real-time data, allowing for precise monitoring of vessel performance, cargo conditions and environmental factors, such as weather or sea states. This connectivity enhances predictive maintenance, reducing costly downtime by identifying issues before they become critical. Furthermore, IoT solutions improve fuel efficiency and emissions tracking, helping the industry align with global sustainability goals. Smart ports, powered by IoT, streamline operations through automated cargo handling, reducing turnaround times and operational costs. Enhanced tracking and transparency in the supply chain also bolster customer satisfaction and reliability. Overall, IoT empowers the maritime industry to operate with heightened precision and resilience in an increasingly data-driven world.
Due to the increasingly active involvement of IoT in the maritime industry, a specialized application of IoT in the maritime sector, The Internet of Vessels, is transforming the way vessels operate by creating interconnected ecosystems of sensors, devices, and communication networks on ships. This innovation enables real-time monitoring of critical shipboard systems, such as engine performance, fuel consumption, and cargo conditions, enhancing operational efficiency and reliability. By leveraging data analytics, vessels can optimize routes to reduce fuel consumption and minimize environmental impact, contributing to greener shipping practices. Predictive maintenance supported by sensor data reduces the likelihood of mechanical failures and costly downtime, while real-time diagnostics improve crew safety. Additionally, the Internet of Vessels enhances fleet management by allowing shipowners and operators to remotely monitor and coordinate multiple vessels, improving logistics and supply chain efficiency. By bridging the gap between ship and shore, the Internet of Vessels empowers the maritime industry to navigate the challenges of modern shipping with enhanced agility, resilience, and sustainability.
Prisma Electronics, via its integrated and ever-expanding LAROS solution for the maritime industry, has succeeded in providing an innovative system that enables remote monitoring and analysis of vessels operational parameters. LAROS is a versatile system that provides diagnosis, prognosis, and early warning by collecting and transmitting data to the operations’ center anywhere in the world. It is a System for Connected Systems, providing Real Operational Insights, Effective Remote Support, Situational Awareness for sea operations as well as Predictive Maintenance & Trends for the vessels it is installed in, reporting back to the shipping company. In this way, LAROS succeeds in providing insight to the vessel’s operational efficiency and the associated costs.
Via the company’s involvement in the industry over the years, a bottleneck has been identified in the maritime IoT/IoV operations, which is none other than the vessel’s satellite communication system. Issues such as blind spots during a vessel’s mission due to poor satellite coverage of specific areas or third party access to vessels’ data are some of the major issues for the modern IoT/IoV applications.
Prisma Electronics’ first nanosatellite mission, MICE-1 aims to facilitate vessel satellite communications by providing and operating independent, parallel satellite communication channels for the maritime industry. The ultimate goal is to effectively and uninterruptedly collect, analyze and fuse data to achieve data-driven decisions and condition-based maintenance for critical assets, as well as performance degradation assessment for critical assets and the satellite itself.
This mission is supported by the Directorate of Connectivity and Secure Communications / Satellites Programmes Department (CSC-P) of the European Space Agency (ESA).