Fleet owners can collect more operational data than ever before. The trouble, according to Danny Tao, co-founder and CEO of ePropulsion, is that collecting it and understanding it are two very different things, a gap he will explore as part of an industry panel at METSTRADE 2026.
The session, titled Read, But Not Understood: The Real State of Marine Data for Fleet Owners, is organised by IEMA and runs on Tuesday, 17 November, from 14:00 to 15:15 on the Metstrade Stage.
At its heart is a simple but pressing question for fleet owners, port operators and shipbuilders: data is now easy to gather, but do the people receiving it actually understand what it means and how to use it?
Tao will be joined on the panel by Andrew Boswell, CEO of Bluegrid, and Maryam Pourbeirami Hir, a PhD researcher at TU Delft. The session is moderated by IEMA's Adria Jover, bringing together perspectives from technology, business and academic research on the barriers between gathering information and acting on it.
For ePropulsion, the subject sits close to home. The company's work on connected propulsion and onboard energy systems depends on clear, accessible information that helps operators assess performance, manage energy use and plan their operations.
"I'm looking forward to joining the IEMA panel at METSTRADE and hearing the different perspectives around the table. As marine systems become more connected, we need to make sure the information they provide is useful to the people operating them. This is a valuable opportunity to discuss how we can help owners and operators understand their data and use it with confidence," said Danny Tao, co-founder and CEO of ePropulsion.
The panel will explore whether marine businesses need their own data specialists, the role of external expertise, and how information can be shared effectively between vessel operators and ports. It will also consider the role of governments and regulators in analysing maritime data, alongside the practical challenges of data access, ownership and collaboration.
Audience questions will form part of the discussion, with each speaker closing by identifying one action the industry should take.
For anyone attending METSTRADE with an interest in electric propulsion, fleet operations or the practical use of marine data, this is one session worth making time for.
