Project full title:


Subject area:

Contract no.:

IST-1999-11498

Date:

1 January 2000

Duration:

24 months

ARETOPS Public Deliverables
D11	Shipping sector reference models and IT requirements	version 2.0	December 2000	Shipping software- Reference models  Download PDF
D1.2	Review of Reference Architectures in Transport Sectors	version 2.0	December 2000	Shipping software- Review  Reference Architectures  Download PDF
D13	Shipping Reference System Architecture	version 2.0	April 2001	Shipping software- ARETOPS System Architecture Download

Keywords:

Shipping e-business, integration platform

Project co-ordinator:

Takis Katsoulakos

Ulysses Marine Electronic Market Ltd
Manchester Science Park, Williams House,

Lloyds Street North, Manchester M15 6SE

(takis@inlecom.com)

Project URL:

www.ARETOPS.org

Partners:

Ulysses Marine Electronic Market Ltd

Summary:

The aim of the ARETOPS project is to create a shipping sector specific reference architecture and to use it for the development of an open technology platform supporting the integration of key IST services/applications for the shipping industry. The proposed research and development work programme is guided by a  user group and results will be deployed and evaluated in pilots. The outcome will be shared in the public interest and policy recommendations will be made.

Problem:

The challenge shipping companies are facing stem from three main factors:

To address this challenge many shipping companies accept the need to provide enhanced computerised support for their personnel, particularly onboard their ships and to move towards an e-business operation.. However, there are significant problems in establishing effective systems. The key reasons include:

•            Very large volume of information, manuals, codes etc.
•            Lack of interoperability between systems from various vendors
•            Poor usability and ergonomics of shipping software.

Aim:

The aim of the ARETOPS project is to create shipping sector specific reference architecture and to use it for the development of an open technology platform supporting through task orientation the integration of key ISTs and services/applications for the shipping industry.

The ARETOPS Architecture and platform will:

•         Be broad enough to cover all the complexities and various types of necessary system components
•         Allow enough flexibility to accommodate future business requirements
•         Support strategic tactical and operational shipping processes
•         Ensure integration of IST technologies supporting people in their work in particular communications, work flow and document management
•         Form the basis for an automated system linking information services and data from ship control systems to the integrated ship-office computer and communication system

Technical approach:

We argue that the problem of integration of shipping applications and web services is a consequence of the more essential problem of business process integration.  Applications and Web Services need to interoperate because the processes that rely on them need to be integrated.

The ARETOPS solution to process integration is based on two mechanisms:

1. A Reference Task Model which represents the typical operational processes of shipping companies including the interaction with business partners;
2. A set of Core Business Document Schemas capturing the information commonly used in the Reference Task Model.

The two mechanisms described above provide the vocabulary that can be used by the employees of a shipping company to communicate between themselves and with their business partners.  This  vocabulary is built using the XML language (extensive mark-up language). The approach supports the development of an effective knowledge management  solution  addressing the crucial requirements of  enhanced safety of ship operation through better informed personnel.

Expected results:

A library of schemas covering the main business documents used in ship operation and management processes.

A demonstrator of an end to end shipping e-business solution based on the ARETOPS platform enabling seamless interconnection of service providers, suppliers and shipping companies through  a Shipping Integration Manager.

The Shipping Integration Manager is based on XML specifications of the core processes and business documents. Other applications are then integrated to the core processes using integration tools that provide adapters (performing XML schema transformations) for the selected applications.