T
he utilisation of information and com-
munication technologies (ICT) within
the marine industries was highlighted in
the MERIT project. It was started in Novem-
ber 2014, with the goal of promoting the
Finnish marine cluster’s competitivity and
commercial potential.
The project was funded by the Min-
istry of Employment and the Economy in
Finland and coordinated by the industry
and trade office of the City of Helsinki.
According to schedule, the MERIT
project was terminated at the end of 2016.
Still, the market keeps demanding even
further new maritime ICT applications.
”The aim of the MERIT project was
to find ideas for new start-up companies.
After all, the maritime industries consi-
tute an increasing cluster that has a lot of
potential for new applications,” says Dr.
Ulla Tapaninen, expert of maritime logis-
tics for the City of Helsinki.
“
SLUSH fair
will carry on
in MERIT’s footsteps.
THE MERIT HERITAGE
According to Tapaninen, the MERIT project
gathered speed as it proceeded onwards.
”Several new start-up companies
were established in the maritime ICT sec-
tor. Furthermore, existing companies suc-
ceeded in expanding their product ranges
and finding new customers and contacts,”
she points out.
After termination of MERIT, some
With a long history of innovations and successes in the field of queries have been made to participating
information and communication technologies, Finland is now companies to measure the initial results of
gaining headway in maritime ICT solutions and digitalisation.
Making intelligent and productive use of high volumes of
ship data and other available maritime information is the order
of the day.
the project. Obviously, many of the pro-
ject’s benefits will only be found out after
a longer period of time.
”Already, approximately one third
of the 150 companies that answered our
query have been able to find new business
partners for themselves,” Tapaninen notes.
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