COA to launch telematics interoperability standard

The open standard, scheduled to be published in October, will start with refrigerated containers before expanding to cover all types.

   The Container Owners Association (COA) announced Thursday it will launch an open standard “to permit interoperability of telematics device data from the various solution providers in the maritime shipping sector.”
   The first step of the open standard, which will start with refrigerated containers before expanding to cover all container types, is at the application layer. The COA Work Group has a road map for the expansion of the standard to the device level in terms of specification, COA said in a statement.
   It is scheduled to be published in October.
   “This new open standard will allow container owners to explore more complex IT, artificial intelligence and even blockchain application to bring efficiencies and cost savings to our members,” said COA Chairman Brian Darnowksi in a statement.
   The COA, established in 2004, is made up 50 full members, according to its website, including eight of the world’s top 10 shipping companies and all of the top five: Maersk, Mediterranean Shipping Company, COSCO Shipping Lines, CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd.