The maritime manufacturing industry in the Netherlands is under great pressure. Although as a water-rich country we are traditionally strong in shipbuilding, we are increasingly being overtaken by increasing competition from Asia. However, a strong Dutch maritime industry is crucial to our safety, innovativeness and earning power. An important spearhead for this sector is the move towards ‘smart maritime’; smart technology that makes shipping more efficient, safe and sustainable. Low-code can play an important role in this.

Key challenges of the maritime manufacturing industry
The opportunities, challenges and future plans for the maritime manufacturing industry are described in the document “No guts, no Hollands Glorie!“. This sector agenda was drawn up by the government together with the maritime sector and has a number of important conclusions. For example, we in the Netherlands are becoming increasingly dependent on the sea, not only for transport but also for our data traffic and the supply of green energy by large offshore wind farms. There are also more flood risks, shipping plays a crucial role in our military security and we have an economic interest in the earning power of the maritime sector. In addition, the sector must also become more sustainable.

For these major tasks, a strong Dutch maritime manufacturing industry is crucial. The sector agenda notes the importance of being able to design, build and maintain ships ourselves without depending on foreign countries. This requires innovative technologies and applications, such as smart ships that sail autonomously or obtaining real-time remote insight into the status of ships and parts. This will allow the maritime manufacturing industry to distinguish itself from the competition. At the same time, this will allow us to better protect our national interests.

Low-code as a driver of smart maritime
Ships have an average replacement period of 30 years and the average age of the world’s fleet is currently over 22 years. It is therefore not surprising that the maritime industry still uses a lot of older technology and legacy software. But this does bring with it a challenge: how do you get the most out of the latest technologies when legacy software makes data difficult to access or real-time insights limited?

Benefits of deploying low-code in the maritime manufacturing industry
There is a big role for low-code here. The benefits of low-code, such as faster development of apps, the flexibility to make them perfectly compatible with existing systems, and built-in compliance and security, make it ideal for implementing solutions quickly and cost-effectively. This is essential to remain competitive. In doing so, there are several ways in which low-code can help the maritime industry innovate:

• Upgrading legacy technology

For ships or components with long lifespans, the software that supports this technology is sometimes a roadblock to innovations. With low-code, existing applications and functionalities can be quickly rebuilt or upgraded to modern and scalable technology without having to redesign the entire IT infrastructure. At B2B service provider Mourik, for example, Ciphix used low-code to build a digital shell over the existing IT landscape in order to standardize the organization’s way of working.

• Democratizing data

Crucial data is often locked in legacy systems making it difficult to share and combine with other data sources. For example, it is sometimes difficult to combine data from onboarding sensors with data from the IT organization. Low-code helps to democratize that data and bring it together in responsive apps for up-to-date strategic insights. For example, Van Der Loo Yacht Interiors uses a low-code app to reduce material loss. This app brings all the information together in one place and gives Van Der Loo much more insight into what’s going wrong, allowing the process to be optimized, more insight into the biggest pain points and further improving efficiency.

• Innovate more often and faster

The high speed of development with low-code enables faster validation of ideas with working prototypes. Compared to traditional development methods, low-code makes building and iterating applications easier, faster and more scalable. As a result, you can involve customers and people from the business in the development of an idea faster, making it more compatible with daily practice on board, on the shipyard or in the port. For example, Ciphix built an application for Royal IHC that accurately monitors ship performance, including predicting preventive maintenance. Rapid prototyping allowed findings to be validated quickly, while also ensuring customer understanding and cooperation during the implementation process.

• Standard safe

When deploying sensors and autonomous systems in critical infrastructure such as shipping, security is a top priority. The upcoming NIS2 legislation, which requires many organizations to strengthen their resilience against digital threats, puts this under an additional magnifying glass for many maritime organizations. Apps built with Mendix low-code meet key industry standards and security standards by default, ensuring their security.

According to Henry Kraaijenbos, partner at Ciphix, “To take the next step and strengthen our competitive position vis-à-vis foreign countries, the Dutch maritime sector must therefore fully commit to innovation. Low-code is ideally suited to navigate the specific challenges of the maritime industry and exploit innovation opportunities.”

Capturing innovation opportunities in the maritime sector?
Want to learn more about low-code, how we work and how we help your organization move to smart maritime?
Ciphix is an industry specialist and knows the unique challenges and opportunities of the maritime manufacturing industry. We offer the flexibility and speed to shorten time-to-market and stay ahead of competition. By transforming outdated systems, we also help your organization take the step to smart maritime. Schedule an introductory meeting right away.