Data Platforms in the Maritime Domain: Challenges and Opportunities

The maritime world is characterized by the complex cooperation of multiple actors along the supply chain. With the rise of digitization, the exchange of information between these actors has shifted from manual to a more automatic process. However, digital communication in this industry often remains at a peer-to-peer level and lacks interoperability or experiences media breaks. Various existing digital solutions, such as data platforms or port community systems, have evolved over time, but fall short in terms of standardization or broad adoption. This article aims to shed light on the current challenges of such solutions, which have not been extensively addressed by the research community. It also presents a case study of a data platform implemented in the maritime domain, based on open standards like OpenID Connect for authentication and OpenAPI for interface specification. The study provides an overview and discussion of the available technologies and standards and compares recent developments, for example the industry standards from the DCSA, efforts of TIC4.0 Association or the platform specification MCP consortium. Additionally, we assess the governance structures that guide the use of these standards, identify their shortcomings and explore the commercial viability and challenges associated with implementing these open standards in a real-world environment. By analyzing the solutions, the article aims to provide insights into the effectiveness of open standards, interoperability, governance structures, while also highlighting potential areas for improvement.