Every summer, ferries transport crowds of visitors between islands in the Swedish archipelago. With the help of a new AI platform, each ferry can now reduce its fuel consumption by 10-25 percent, which contributes to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. This is according to the results from long-term testing.

A ferry’s fuel consumption can vary by as much as 60 percent while travelling the same route, and one of the most affecting factors is how the captain drives. Cetasol’s new digital platform iHelm, initially developed together with Semcon, uses AI to allow each captain to save large amounts of fuel.

“Cetasol’s platform is a great example of how AI can make a difference in the transition to a more sustainable planet. The platform also offers the same potential for energy efficiency in future electric or even automated operations. I’m grateful that we at Semcon have contributed to the early stages of this project” says Magnus Carlsson, Area Manager Software & Emerging Tech at Semcon.

Semcon has supported Cetasol from initial idea to final implementation of the prototype solution with expertise in software and AI, hardware, IoT and UX. The iHelm platform has then been further developed by Cetasol into a commercial product.

Since January 2020, the platform has been tested to streamline ferry traffic in the Gothenburg archipelago, as well as other places worldwide. In the case of the ferry on the Swedish west coast, the captains have been able to save on average 17% fuel by changing their driving patterns. Further savings are expected ahead as the AI learns and improves over time. For further information see the IDTechEx report on Electric Leisure & Sea-going Boats and Ships 2021-2040.

“The current platform processes large amounts of data from different sources, such as driving patterns from experienced captains, weather data, GPS positioning and ocean currents. Based on all this data it delivers ‘actionable insights’ that show the captain how to drive as energy-efficiently as possible,” says Ethan Faghani, CEO at Cetasol.

Cetasol is a Gothenburg-based start-up company that focuses on sustainability in the marine sector. The company offers data-driven software solutions for sustainability with AI-powered energy optimization solutions for marine-commercial vessels. Read more about Cetasol.

Semcon has long experience and expertise within machine learning and deep learning in several different industries. Read more about Semcon’s AI expertise.

Semcon is an international technology company. We turn technology into excellent user experiences by combining digital edge and engineering expertise. With diverse multi-disciplinary teams we add new perspectives creating sustainable and competitive businesses. Regardless if you aim to recharge a current product or service, reinvent new technology or reimagine future needs, our focus is always on human needs and behaviour in order to develop solutions with the clearest benefits to people and our planet. By combining our 40 years of advanced engineering, strategic innovation, digital services and product information solutions, we drive transformation in a wide range of industries with more than 2,000 dedicated employees based in seven different countries. Read more on www.semcon.com