RECAP – OceansX ONE Hackathon
In a three-day hackathon, 31 participants divided into 7 teams were challenged to develop algorithms and visualizations based on a dataset of an Operational Patrol Vessel of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The goal? Help crews participating in de OceansX 1 challenge reduce their CO2 emissions. In this news item we provide you a summary on the outcome.
We had fun! The online energy, knowledge sharing and inspiration was contagious. Contagious in a good, -COVID 19 proof, virtual way.
These results, also known as the soft stuff, are not to be underestimated. Nor the circumstance in which they flourish, nor the impact they will (eventually) lead to. Projects and endeavors of OceansX provide space for these ‘waves of collective potential’ to develop towards impact. Impact beneficial for us all. OceansX 1 is a green wave towards a sustainable maritime sector.
Nevertheless, like for every wave surfer, it is very rewarding when the waves also break. And they did just that during the hackathon! The teams performed by delivering dashboards, games and advanced algorithms in a short time.
For the participating crews of OceansX 1, videos of the final presentations of the hackathon teams are available on GPAL. Challenge secret: we understood that one of the participating crews has already shown interest to develop a minimum viable product with one of the hackathon teams…
For non-participants feel free to contact OceansX to submerge deeper.
Team Captain Greenfeet
Team Captain Greenfeet came out on top of this first Oceans 1 Hackathon. Why? At OceansX we believe because it was the most diverse team of teams. Congratulations Vincent, Catarina, Quincy and Marloes!
Captain Greenfeet’s dashboard, supported by a deep learning algorithm, provide a crew with small adjustments to optimize their speed, propulsion mode or course relative to wind. The jury was impressed by the machine learning algorithm: “Captain Greenfeet seems to have developed a full system concept that is oriented on the crew.”
Figure 1. The dashboard of Captain Greenfeet advises the crew on the configuration, speed and relative wind angle. On the right: the true fuel consumption versus the model prediction
Team Seasick
Team Seasick properly understood that CO2 goals sometimes conflict with goals at the bridge. They therefore developed an ecofriendly sailing assistant. This real-time dashboard, that runs on a navigation bridge, helps crews to get at their destination in time with minimal CO2 emission. The Seasick dashboard provides insights in the actual CO2-emissions. Seasick developed a random forest model to advise the crew on the optimal virtual shaft speed and the sailing and propulsion modes. The Seasick dashboard triggers the crew how much CO2-emissions could actually be reduced at that specific moment in time.
Team Captain Organic II
Team Captain Organic II send their cool Popeye mascot on a mission to develop a planning tool to assist crews in optimizing engine configuration. The tool focusses on transit periods and narrow water passages. Captain Organic II scoped that the three main factors, which can be directly influenced by the crew, are: propulsion mode, the speed over ground and the number of generators running. The planning tool takes the distance, ETA and the weather forecast as inputs and, as an output, advises the crew on the optimal ship speed, the optimal number of running generators and the optimal propulsion mode. The tool uses machine learning techniques and a propulsion line model. A dashboard visualizes their model and shows the crew possible fuel savings.
Team Hitchhikers Guide to the Ocean
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Ocean (in short: the Hitchhikers) realized that gamification is an important aspect of the Oceans-1 CO2 challenge. Race against your personal best or against other watch officers. The Hitchhikers took the task at hand to develop a game inspired by Mario-cart. Who of the watch officers aboard has the lowest fuel consumption during transits?
Crews can enter their current data and the Hitchhikers’ program provides the best solutions for the CO2 emissions. Their program also gives potential suggestions on how crews can improve using a visualization that engages the crew to race their own’s best. Doing well? The scoreboard turns green. Improvements possible, the scoreboard turns red!
Team Sailing to a Better World
Team Sailing to a Better World (in short: the Sailors) are going for the long run. The hackathon was their kick-starter of a 4 month (bachelor) adventure with OceansX 1. The team focuses on added resistance by wind and waves. By implementing this in their model they can advise the crew how to optimally sail in various wind and wave circumstances. The jury complemented the team on the knowledge they extracted data on head and tail winds from the provided data-set.
The Oceans Doctors
The Oceans Doctors thought that the dataset was not large enough. Using their marine engineering background, they used first principle modeling to enrich the dataset with additional parameters and shared this with the other teams. The real OceansX spirit! The doctors’ solution assists crews in suggesting the most optimal operating mode by predicting the fuel consumption based on vessel speed, propulsion mode, sailing mode and weather conditions. For that they developed a digital twin model. The crews can use these calculations to compare their actual fuel consumption with the optimal fuel consumption of their digital twin.
The jury praised their work for creatively using general assumptions and their strong understanding of the modelling problem at hand.
TheFancy Hackers
TheFancy Hackers developed a regression model to optimise speed over the time of the voyage. Their model calculates fuel consumption based on weather parameters and ship speed. Based on the predicted weather during their trip, TheFancy Hackers’ tool advises a speed profile on a dashboard to the crew.
