SmartShip · Project

Smart Monitoring Platform That Cuts Ship Fuel Costs and Emissions Automatically

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smartship2020.eu

Imagine your car could tell you exactly when to shift gears, which route saves the most fuel, and how to keep the engine running at peak performance — but for massive cargo ships. That's what SmartShip built: a cloud-based monitoring system that collects data from sensors all over a vessel, crunches it with smart algorithms, and tells operators precisely how to burn less fuel and cut emissions. It even factors in circular economy thinking — like reusing waste heat — so ships squeeze every bit of value from the energy they consume.

By the numbers

EUR 1,472,000

EU funding for platform development

consortium partners across industry and academia

countries contributing expertise

industry partners including shipping operators

50%

industry participation ratio in consortium

total project deliverables completed

The business problem

What needed solving

Shipping companies burn enormous amounts of fuel with limited visibility into where energy is wasted across their fleets. Tightening IMO emissions regulations add compliance pressure, and most operators lack the data tools to optimize fuel consumption, energy use, and emissions reporting simultaneously. Manual monitoring misses optimization opportunities that compound across vessels and voyages.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered a cloud-based maritime performance monitoring platform with four key components: an integrated SmartShip data analytics engine, a decision support module with multi-layer optimization tools, a pilot implementation on real vessels, and a full demonstration of the complete system. A total of 9 deliverables were completed.

Audience

Who needs this

Commercial fleet operators managing 10+ cargo or tanker vesselsShip management companies handling third-party fleetsMaritime classification societies and compliance consultantsPort authorities implementing emissions monitoring zonesMarine equipment OEMs looking to add smart energy features

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Commercial Shipping & Fleet Management

enterprise

Target: Ship owners and fleet operators managing cargo or tanker vessels

If you are a fleet operator spending millions on bunker fuel each year — this project developed a cloud-based monitoring and optimization platform that analyzes real-time vessel data to recommend fuel-saving measures. The system was built with direct input from Danaos Shipping, a major vessel operator, and covers the entire ship lifecycle from energy efficiency to emissions compliance.

Maritime Technology & Services

mid-size

Target: Marine equipment manufacturers and digital service providers

If you are a maritime tech company looking to integrate smart energy management into your product offering — this project delivered a decision support module with multi-layer optimization tools that can be embedded into existing vessel management systems. Built across 8 partners in 6 countries, the platform combines IoT sensor data, analytics, and visualization into a ready-to-integrate package.

Port Services & Maritime Compliance

any

Target: Port authorities and classification societies enforcing emissions regulations

If you are a port authority or compliance body struggling to verify vessel emissions against tightening IMO regulations — this project built an automated emissions monitoring and reporting system. With 4 industry partners including actual shipping operators, the platform was designed to meet real-world maritime regulatory requirements from day one.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement this on our fleet?

The project received EUR 1,472,000 in EU funding across 8 partners over 5 years (2019–2024). Specific per-vessel implementation costs are not stated in the project data. Licensing or commercialization terms would need to be discussed directly with the consortium, led by Danaos Shipping.

Can this scale to a large commercial fleet?

The platform was designed as a cloud-based system covering the entire lifecycle of a ship, which suggests fleet-wide scalability was a design goal. A final pilot was designed and implemented, as documented in their deliverables. However, details on how many vessels were tested simultaneously are not available in the project data.

Who owns the IP and can we license this technology?

The project was funded under MSCA-RISE, a Marie Curie staff exchange program, with IP typically shared among consortium partners. Danaos Shipping (Cyprus) coordinated the project with 4 industry and 4 university partners. Licensing arrangements would need to be negotiated with the consortium.

Does this comply with current IMO emissions regulations?

The project objective explicitly states it was built in full respect to maritime sector regulations for emissions control. The decision support module was designed to factor in regulatory compliance requirements. Specific regulation names (e.g., IMO 2020, EEXI, CII) are not listed in the project data but the regulatory focus is clear.

How long would integration take with our existing ship management systems?

The project delivered an integrated cloud-based platform with IoT connectivity, data analytics, and visualization tools. Based on available project data, a demonstration and pilot were completed. However, specific integration timelines with third-party systems are not documented in the deliverables.

Is this still actively supported or was it just a research project?

The project closed in March 2024 after 5 years. It was funded under MSCA-RISE, which focuses on knowledge exchange through staff secondments between industry and academia. The consortium includes 4 industry partners including Danaos Shipping, suggesting commercial interest, but post-project support status is not stated.

Consortium

Who built it

The SmartShip consortium is well-balanced for a maritime technology project, with an even 50/50 split between 4 industry and 4 university partners spread across 6 countries (Cyprus, Germany, Greece, France, Malta, Poland). The project is coordinated by Danaos Shipping Company Limited, a Cyprus-based vessel operator — meaning the technology was developed with a real end-user at the helm, not just academics. Two SMEs are in the mix, which often signals closer-to-market intent. The geographic spread covers major European maritime hubs. For a business looking to adopt this technology, having the coordinator be an actual shipping company rather than a university is a positive signal that practical operational needs drove the design.

DANAOS SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITEDCoordinator · CY
BLUESOFT SPOLKA Z OGRANICZONA ODPOWIEDZIALNOSCIAparticipant · PL
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET BRAUNSCHWEIGparticipant · DE
EPSILON MALTA LIMITEDparticipant · MT
ECOLE NATIONALE DES PONTS ET CHAUSSEESparticipant · FR
CHAROKOPEIO PANEPISTIMIOparticipant · EL
MIB DEVELOPPEMENT ECOLE DES PONTS BUSINESS SCHOOLparticipant · FR
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR MARKET LEADERSHIPparticipant · EL

How to reach the team

Danaos Shipping Company Limited (Cyprus) — a well-known commercial shipping operator. SciTransfer can facilitate an introduction to the project team.

Order a report on this consortium See DANAOS SHIPPING COMPANY LIMITED profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how SmartShip's vessel optimization platform could work for your fleet? SciTransfer connects businesses with EU research teams — contact us for a tailored brief and introduction.

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