Engineering thinks in terms of failure impact and spare parts; digital thinks in terms of data and platforms.
Poorly defined requirements, missing value references and unrealistic data assumptions.
The positioning remains consistently technical: predictive maintenance, spare parts, compliance.
Technical articles, checklists and project analyses that capture both aspects.
The gap between engineering and digital in the maritime industry is not a question of goodwill but of mental models. A superintendent thinks in failure scenarios: what happens if the main engine fails? Which spare part do I need? How quickly can the repair be completed? A digital project manager thinks in data models: which sensor data is available? How can an algorithm be trained? Which API interface is required?
Both perspectives are legitimate, but they lead to different priorities. The superintendent wants a system that works reliably and helps in an emergency. The digital expert wants a system that processes as much data as possible and scales. Without a bridge-builder, projects emerge that are technically impressive but operationally unused – or that would be operationally useful but are technically infeasible.
A concrete example: a digital project is intended to optimise maintenance planning for a fleet. The digital team develops an algorithm that calculates the optimal maintenance point based on running hours and sensor values. Sounds logical. But in practice it emerges: running hours are captured in three different ways, sensor values are unavailable for 40% of vessels, and the calculated timing conflicts with planned dry-dockings. Without someone who identifies this discrepancy early, the project fails after months of development.
The bridging role requires specific competencies: understanding of engine room realities, basic knowledge of data structures and interfaces, and the ability to translate requirements from both worlds into a common language. This is rarely combined in one person – but it can be embodied in a consulting role that mediates between both sides.
Three areas in the maritime industry have the greatest need for translation between engineering and digital.
First: predictive maintenance. The idea is simple; the implementation is complex. Sensor data must be combined with maintenance history, spare part information and operating parameters. This requires both an understanding of which sensor data is technically meaningful and of how the IT infrastructure makes this data available.
Second: compliance automation. CII reporting, EU ETS data capture and BWMS documentation require precise data from vessel operations. The engineering side knows which data is relevant and where it arises. The digital side knows how it can be automatically captured and processed. Without a bridge, both sides remain in their silos.
Third: procurement optimisation. An intelligent purchasing system needs clean master data (an engineering task) and a functional platform with supplier connectivity (a digital task). Requirements definition must come from both sides – otherwise the result is either a technically flawless system that suggests the wrong parts, or a functionally correct concept that cannot be implemented.
In many shipping companies, the bridging role does not exist as a permanent position. The IT department reports to the CFO, the technical department to the technical director. Both have their own budgets, their own priorities and frequently their own vendors. Digital projects are initiated either by IT or by the technical side – rarely by both jointly.
An external consultant with an engineering background and digital understanding can take on a neutral mediating role in this constellation. They have no vested interest in a particular software platform, know the typical pitfalls of maritime digital projects and can formulate requirements in a way that both sides understand and support.
This does not work in every constellation. The prerequisite is that both sides recognise the need and are prepared to accept the consultant as a mediator – not as a control authority. The role is that of a technical translator, not a project manager. The distinction is critical.
Not every digital project requires a dedicated bridging role. Three indicators help with the assessment: 1) Are more than two departments involved in the project that use different technical languages? 2) Does the project affect both onboard systems and shore-side infrastructure? 3) Have there been digital projects in the past that failed due to a lack of operational acceptance?
If at least two of these indicators apply, the investment in a mediating role is justified. The return lies not in measurable software efficiency but in avoided misdevelopments: projects that address the right requirements from the outset save months of rework and considerable budgets for corrections.
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