D-NAVIO: Digital Ship - Mastering Complexity of the Waterborne Digital Transport through “Cloning of the Ship"

D-NAVIO is an innovative EU-funded initiative aimed at advancing maritime safety and efficiency by developing a next-generation digital “clone of ships” through an Intelligent Digital Twin (DT) system. This project integrates explainable AI and self-healing technologies to reduce risks, mitigate issues, and improve reliability and safety.

Objectives and Vision

As ships become more complex and digital, traditional methods of detecting problems and preventing failures are no longer enough to keep them safe and efficient. 

The D-NAVIO project aims to change that by creating a smart “digital twin” of each ship — powered by explainable AI — to predict issues before they occur, reduce risks, and support the future of safer, more reliable maritime transport. 

Without a unified digital approach, current systems risk overlooking hidden vulnerabilities, leading to incomplete and unreliable assessments that could compromise safety at sea.

What Sets D-NAVIO Apart

D-NAVIO understands the sheer complexity of the challenge faced in the maritime industry. Mastering this complexity requires developing a unique and holistic approach going beyond the current state-of-the-art. Specifically:

• D-NAVIO proposes the development of a “digital clone of ships” with respect to their design, equipment, systems, and software. Without a unified “cloning” approach for analysis and forecasting of failures, sporadic failure hacking methods may prove to be completely unsuccessful in identifying missing elements, requirements, and vulnerabilities in waterborne digital transport software and systems. 
• A lack of comprehensive knowledge of ship systems can hinder effective risk assessment. 
• D-NAVIO’s innovative approach aims to revolutionise risk assessment and hazard identification in waterborne digital transport, supporting the future development of autonomous ship systems using AI decision support systems. 

How It Will Do It

To achieve its purposes, D-NAVIO employs a structured, three-stage research methodology that combines system architecture design, explainable AI development, and iterative integration with pilot evaluations to deliver a trustworthy Intelligent Digital Twin (IDT) solution. Furthermore, a co-creation approach involving continuous engagement with diverse maritime stakeholders ensures the user-centric development and validation of all technological components throughout the project.

White Research’s Role in D-NAVIO

As a key partner, White Research leads the demanding Dissemination and Communication work package, ensuring D-NAVIO’s visibility and impact across Europe. Our team is responsible for engaging stakeholders across Europe, tailoring key messages to diverse audiences, producing dissemination and communication tools, and creating synergies with other EU projects. 

Through strategic communication efforts and targeted outreach, White Research ensures that D-NAVIO’s innovations reach and resonate with diverse audiences, while also demonstrating our expertise in amplifying project impact. 

Finally, by showcasing D-NAVIO’s results and fostering engagement with stakeholders, we position our company as a key player in driving meaningful change in the field of maritime security and sustainability, while highlighting our ability to support similar initiatives across industries and sectors.