SmartSea's digital ambitions align with Qatar Vision 2030SmartSea's digital ambitions align with Qatar Vision 2030
CEO Julian Panter shares his vision of a more efficient, sustainable and profitable shipping industry built on common languages and standards.
January 22, 2025

Ahead of his appearance at Seatrade Maritime Qatar in February, Seatrade Maritime News spoke with Julian Panter, CEO at SmartSea about the company's plans to modernise the digital backbone of the maritime industry, and the current state of digital technology in Qatar's shipping and Offshore sectors.
How do you expect the upcoming critical meeting of MEPC to affect shipping’s demand for digital tools?
I can only see this as a positive development as technology will play a critical role in supporting the drive to reduce emissions and allow our industry to become more environmentally friendly and sustainable. Technology will positively impact areas such as fuel consumption by assisting in the optimisation of shipping routes, further advancements in technology around hybrid / electric propulsion, autonomous vessels, IoT sensors to monitor vessel performance and environmental conditions.
Digital twin technology will assist us greatly in allowing for predictive maintenance, minimising downtime and fuel waste. There are technology solutions and digital tools that will play a critical role in supporting the direction of our industry. By integrating these technologies, the shipping industry can significantly reduce its environmental footprint, align with global sustainability goals, and ensure long-term economic viability.
How advanced are the Qatari shipping and offshore markets in digital terms, and what opportunities are there for SmartSea?
The Qatari shipping and offshore markets are very strong when it comes to embracing technology. I have always felt that the Middle East in general is quite advanced when it comes to digital solutions. The opportunity for SmartSea is in the unification of the digital languages and common standards. Our main shareholder, SITA, is the market-leading technology solutions provider in aviation and they have been instrumental at creating a joined-up approach to technology in that industry. SmartSea is their platform for creating the same synergies in the offshore/maritime industry.
Do SmartSea’s digital ambitions align with Qatar’s Vision 2030?
Yes, as quoted within the Vision 2030 strategic framework, The Qatar Digital Government initiative aims to transform public services by leveraging advanced technologies to enhance accessibility, efficiency and transparency. The initiative promotes the adoption of AI, IoT and blockchain to optimise operations and decision-making. SmartSea can integrate into the eco-system of Qatar, by fostering innovation and modernising public services, and therefore supports Qatar’s transition to a knowledge-based, digital-first economy.
How might Middle East shipping look when it closes the 10-15 year technology gap to aviation?
The position we need to be in to really close the gap is to ensure we have common digital languages and consistent standards. If we can do that then I believe we will have a far more efficient, sustainable and profitable industry. I think the Middle East is perfectly poised to lead in these changes because the region is growing so fast and is not afraid to be an early adopter of technologies and solutions.
What projects are you currently working on and what can we expect from SmartSea in future?
We are in the process of building our client base in both the cruise sector as well as commercial shipping and ports. In the cruise sector we typically work onboard vessels for IT service management work or where we can install aviation grade technology to improve the passenger experience. We also continue to build our client base in commercial shipping and ports in a number of areas which include complete IT outsourcing services, digital technology across port infrastructure, development of ship-based systems and onboard technology (hardware).
Julian Panter is taking part in the session "The Digital Maritime Industry – Is It Here, Near and Secure?" on day two of Seatrade Maritime Qatar Wednesday, February 5, alongside fellow panellists Engr. Asmaa Abdulaziz Mirzaei, IT Manager, Mwani Qatar; Ghassan Kosta, Regional General Manager, Google Cloud; Jassim Al-Majid, VP, Information Technology Department, Milaha; Gareth Burton, SVP, Global Engineering, ABS; Dr. Tarek Shaalan, Regional Travel and Transportation Executive Advisor, SAP Middle East, and moderator Nick Chubb, CEO & Founder, Thetius. Visit the Seatrade Maritime Qatar website to find out more about the two-day event and its conference agenda.
Panter spoke last year with Seatrade Maritime News editor Marcus hand about the company's work on the Seatrade Maritime Podcast. Listen to the episode below.
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