C-LOG was a finalist of PIER71’s Smart Port Challenge 2019. In a recent joint announcement by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the National University of Singapore (NUS), through its entrepreneurial arm NUS Enterprise, it was awarded S$50,000 in grant funding from MPA towards prototype development and test-bedding of their solutions. We had the opportunity to catch up with Kristina Lynge, CEO & Co-Founder, C-LOG, for her take on things so far.

Firstly, thank you for taking the time to talk to Asia Blockchain Review, how has 2020 been so far?

So far 2020 has been challenging, but it has also opened up for new opportunities within maritime in terms of the way things are being done. Since we finished the Smart Port Challenge by PIER71, we have been part of the Eastern Pacific Shipping Accelerator powered by Techstars and we recently received a grant from MPA to test-bed our solution with BW Group.

With the ongoing pandemic and the ramifications of it, how are things at your company?

We are good, since what we are offering the ship management companies right now is a service they urgently need. The maritime industry is currently struggling with getting seafarers designated as essential workers for the global economy, so they are able to embark and disembark vessels more easily around the world during this lockdown. In all of this, documenting the crew plays a very important role and this is where C-LOG can make a difference. C-LOG alleviates the need for the manual verification of ID and certificates of a seafarer and can make sure it’s the right person embarking the vessel, without the need for face-to-face interaction with a manning officer, where the person physically checks that all certificates are present and valid. C-LOG does this digitally.

Please explain how your company is disrupting the industry with its solutions?

We are disrupting the industry with our solutions in a way that will save up to 50% of manual processes related to verifying ID and documentation of seafarers before boarding a vessel. We are bringing together the different stakeholders from the seafarer to the training centre, the maritime authorities and the shipping companies in one common shared platform, where they can easily assess and verify the data. We basically remove the need for a middle man to physically check certificates and other documentation.

What is your perspective on blockchain technology and the fusion of 5G, IOT, AI/ML, big data and cloud computing in the maritime industry? Are things still in its infancy?

From a technology perspective Blockchain and AI are no longer in its infancy. The new generations are Industry-grade and regulatory-compliant. The combination itself is still in its infancy. The “fusion” or convergence of Blockchain and AI is enhancing machine learning and overall holds the promise of massive transformative effects. The technologies are best leveraged together and could solve some of the grand challenges in AI, data bias, transparency, security, ethical principles. The community is growing and the cost of the technologies is coming down, which means it’s easier to get started.

Be sure to catch the 2nd part of this interview next week!

C-LOG is pioneering data collaboration in the maritime industry by making inter-organisational sharing of crew documentation easier and faster while respecting the data privacy of the seafarer. For more information, head to www.c-log.io

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About the author

Anil Prabha

Editor In Chief

Anil started his career in journalism all the way back in 2003. After traversing the sphere of editorial, corporate communications and advertising, he has now come full circle and is back in the world of journalism. He believes in the power of the written word, and its ability to enthrall, delight and inform the reader.