Big data in the marine sector

Industry experts convened last week for a roundtable discussion on the definition of “big data” in the marine sector and the opportunities and challenges associated with it.

Held by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST), the roundtable brought together experts from various fields including naval architecture, insurance, environmental research, environmental response, marine engineering, surveying, subsea services, marine consultancy, data management and academic research.

It is widely accepted that analysing and disseminating big data and using it effectively will transform the industry in a positive way. Its potential applications within the marine sector are tremendous, but questions still exist on how best to collect and analyse such data. Do we accumulate as much data as possible so it is available if and when needed? Or do we only collect data relevant for meeting a particular objective? Who writes the algorithms for collection and decides on the formulae used?

Tags: Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST)