RightShip - Experts & Thought Leaders

RightShip, the digital maritime platform providing expertise in safety, sustainability and social responsibility practices, has announced a strategic partnership with marine technology company Mapsea to integrate RightShip’s Safety Score and GHG Rating directly into Mapsea’s advanced navigation and voyage optimisation platform. This collaboration empowers both onshore decision-makers and crew onboard vessels to access real-time safety insights, enhancing operational safety and efficiency. Bringing safety intelligence to the front lines The Safety Score is a comprehensive metric that consolidates data, industry standards, expert reviews The Safety Score is a comprehensive metric that consolidates data, industry standards, expert reviews, and advanced statistical models into a clear, actionable score. It enables stakeholders to make informed, safety-first decisions and invest in safer processes and technologies. This integration delivers real-time vessel risk assessments directly to captains and crew, transforming how maritime professionals assess and mitigate risk on the water. Integrating into Mapsea’s platform “The Safety Score has already been a vital tool for charterers and operators to assess vessel suitability and prioritise safety,” said Ajinkya Kadam, Head of Partnerships at RightShip. “By integrating it into Mapsea’s platform, we extend these insights to those on the front lines of maritime operations, providing the intelligence they need to make safer decisions in real time.” Enhanced navigation with Mapsea Mapsea specialises in navigation systems powered by IoT, AI, and digital twin technologies. The platform enhances situational awareness and supports data-driven decision-making, offering features such as: Route Planning with Safety Intelligence: Captains can plan and adjust routes using real-time Safety Scores, ensuring safer navigation through high-traffic areas and ports. Risk Assessments in Real Time: The integration enables immediate evaluation of vessel risks, supporting safer and more informed decisions. Compliance Monitoring: The platform helps crews align with the maritime industry’s highest safety standards while maintaining operational efficiency. Advanced navigation solutions “By combining our advanced navigation solutions with RightShip’s trusted Safety Score, we are giving maritime professionals a powerful tool to navigate with greater confidence and control,” said Jisoo Kim, CEO at Mapsea. “This partnership is a significant step forward in delivering real-time safety intelligence where it is needed most—on the bridge.” Building a safer, more connected future This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to advancing maritime safety through technology and collaboration. By integrating RightShip’s Safety Score into Mapsea’s platform, both companies are equipping maritime stakeholders with the insights needed to navigate today’s complexities safely and efficiently.

ERMA FIRST, a globally renowned sustainable maritime solutions provider, has joined the RightShip Zero Harm Innovation Partners Program, which aims to promote the adoption of solutions targeting a zero-harm maritime industry. Committed to preserving and protecting the marine ecosystem, ERMA FIRST offers an extensive portfolio of future-proof maritime sustainability solutions encompassing alternative maritime power (AMP), carbon capture and storage (CCS), and energy-saving devices (ESDs). Future-proof solutions With these solutions now part of the Zero Harm Innovation Partners Program, shipowners and managers can showcase these integrated technologies to charterers, demonstrating their proactive steps towards achieving zero harm. “ERMA FIRST began life as a manufacturer and supplier of ballast water treatment systems, but has since evolved to become a pioneering provider of future-proof solutions that directly contribute to maritime decarbonisation,” said Nikos Drimalas, Sales Director, ERMA FIRST. Shoreside electrical grid  Nikos Drimalas adds: “As a testament to the impact of these solutions, our newly established collaboration with RightShip will help us to reach an even wider global audience. We are proud to be involved in a programme that promises to accelerate shipping’s transition to a zero-harm industry.” By allowing vessels to shut down their auxiliary engines and draw from the shoreside electrical grid at berth, ERMA FIRST’s AMP system, BLUE CONNECT, enables emissions-free port stays, while its CARBON FIT CCS system will significantly reduce emissions at sea by capturing CO2 from exhaust gases. FLEX series of ESDs The company’s FLEX series of ESDs boost propulsive efficiency to cut fuel consumption and emissions Meanwhile, the company’s FLEX series of ESDs boost propulsive efficiency to cut fuel consumption and emissions during voyages.  The first in the series, FLEXCAP, builds on the proven capabilities of propeller boss-cap fins, drawing energy from the hub vortex and converting it into torque to reduce power demand on the propeller, enhancing fuel efficiency by two to five percent as a result.  Proper alignment Using a ring design to guide water flow towards the propeller, FLEXRING increases speed in areas where flow is otherwise obstructed. It also creates some thrust on the duct and, with proper alignment of the fins, a pre-swirl effect. This leads to efficiency gains of between three and seven percent. Comprising a set of fins placed and aligned with precision, FLEXFIN guides the flow around the hull in such a way that ensures more even distribution, reducing water resistance, optimising flow to the propeller, and consequently boosting efficiency by up to three percent. When used in conjunction, the three ESDs can yield energy savings of up to 16%.

RightShip, the digital maritime platform providing expertise in safety, sustainability, and social responsibility practices announced a change in its vessel inspection age trigger. Vessel inspection In response to evolving market conditions and continuing safety risks in the Dry Bulk and General Cargo sectors, RightShip will implement a phased approach to require inspections of vessels at an earlier age. This change reflects the organisation’s continued commitment to improving safety standards, reducing incidents, and promoting sustainable maritime operations, and builds on consistent customer feedback calling for vessel inspections to identify risks and propose mitigation actions. A two-phased approach to enhanced safety The phased introduction of this new policy will begin on 31 March 2025: Phase 1 (2025): RightShip’s age trigger for inspection of Dry Bulk and General Cargo vessels will change from 14 years to 12 years, after which an annual acceptable RightShip Inspection will be required. Phase 2 (2026): The age threshold will be further reduced, requiring inspections for vessels aged 10 years or older. Additionally, RightShip will require vessels with less than 8,000 DWT to undergo similar inspection making the safety standard more consistent across the global Dry Bulk and General Cargo fleet. Operational excellence "Our decision to lower the inspection age from 14 to 10 years, in a phased approach, reflects the desire from stakeholders for more physical inspections of vessels to counter challenges the dry sector faces in achieving operational excellence," explained Christopher Saunders, Chief Maritime Officer at RightShip.  He adds, "This change reflects our commitment to raising safety standards globally and comes at a critical time as the global dry bulk fleet now averages 14.7 years in age and will continue to rise." Risks with aging vessels The update is driven by clear evidence of risks with aging vessels and is informed by extensive industry dialogue Christopher Saunders continues, "Data shows there is a strong correlation between performance in a RightShip Inspection and the risk of detentions and incidents." This update is driven by clear evidence of risks with aging vessels and is informed by extensive industry dialogue over the last 12 months. Addressing key safety risks RightShip data reveals that the Dry Bulk sector lags in critical safety metrics compared to other sectors, with bulk carriers experiencing the highest incident ratio at 1.49%, followed by oil (0.96) and LNG (0.89%) Fatalities are significantly more prevalent in Dry Bulk, showing a 0.42% fatality ratio, surpassing LNG and LPG vessels (0.14%). Additionally, bulk carriers have a Port State Control detention ratio of 4.69%, which is four times higher than that of oil tankers, highlighting the significant safety concerns associated with bulk carrier operations. Analysis of vessel size and age The RightShip analysis of vessel size and age indicates a strong correlation between the age of bulk carriers and increased safety risks, particularly after vessels exceed 10 years. Larger vessels (over 200,000 DWT) see a notable rise in incident and detention ratios as they age, especially between 10-13 years. This trend is also evident in smaller vessels, where incident and detention ratios peak at 14-19 years. Need for proactive safety interventions The pattern mirrors the challenges faced by general cargo vessels, highlighting the broader issue of aging fleets Moreover, deficiencies per inspection increase with vessel age across all categories, emphasising the need for proactive safety interventions well before the 14-year mark to support owners and managers in mitigating risks, inform chartering decisions, and enhance operational efficiency. This pattern mirrors the challenges faced by general cargo vessels, highlighting the broader issue of aging fleets in maritime safety. Stronger safety measures "At RightShip, our commitment to safety and crew welfare is evident in our proactive standard-setting and advocacy for stronger safety measures," said Steen Lund, CEO of RightShip. He added, "The data and insights gathered from our inspections are crucial in enhancing the vetting process, providing charterers with a clearer understanding of a vessel's condition and performance and supporting ship owners and managers in their efforts to enhance safety across their fleets." Transparency in the maritime ecosystem Steen Lund continues, "As we navigate the challenges associated with an aging fleet, we must collectively strive for safety and transparency across the shipping industry. It is incumbent upon the entire maritime ecosystem to embrace and champion improved safety standards." He concludes, "This commitment is part of our broader mission to drive continuous improvement toward zero harm in maritime operations."