Intelligent use of maritime info-communication systems in developing environments

Abstract

The doctoral dissertation entitled “Intelligent use of maritime info-communication systems in developing environments” examines to which extent some maritime entities in developing countries use rationally (intelligently or smartly) Information Communication Technology and Systems (ICT&S). In addition, the dissertation examines readiness of considered maritime entities to introduce and adopt novel, sophisticated ICT&S in the future. In this regard, the explorative, comparative and causal studies have been carried out in several maritime companies in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, and South Africa. The objectives of these studies were contemporary maritime ICT&S like Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Port Community System (PCS), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Electronic Logistics Marketplace (ELM), Blockchain Technology (BCT), Vessel Traffic Monitoring Information System (VTMIS), THETIS System as a part of Port State Control (PSC), SafeSeaNet (SSN), European Common Information Sharing Environment (CISE), Sea Traffic Management (STM), e-Navigation, e-Maritime, Maritime Cloud, Common Maritime Communication Platform (CMCP), (Satellite) Automatic Identification System ((S)AIS), Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS), Long Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT), Maritime Surveillance Service (MSS), Earth Observation Services (EOS), Satellite-based Oil Spill Detection System (SOSDS), Oil Spill Prediction Modeling System (OSPMS), Maritime Single Window (MSW) or Maritime Single Environment (MSE), Digital Twins (DT), and Autonomous aerial/sea surface/underwater Vehicles (AxV). The number and capacities of these complex, contemporary ICT&S speak in favor of rapid and huge digital changes in maritime. Developing countries, with generally vertically integrated administration and transitional economy, challenging operating environments, along with fragile social freedom, face numerous impediments in implementing these ICT&S. Therefore, the goal of this dissertation is to identify challenges in new digital technologies adoption and in achieving related innovation success in the emerging countries, including South Africa and proper solution options to addressing these challenges, using the best international practice.