A high-tech crystal ball: the digital twin of a ship and data issues in EU law

Digitalisation will transform shipping operations by improving and optimising ship performance. Digital ship twins are around the corner and we know very little about the legal liability aspects of their implementation. Not much academic research has been conducted on comprehensive digital modelling, or on its marketing phrase “digital twin” from a legal perspective. This article explores the concept of digital twins in the shipping context and identifies the relevant data issues, primarily from the EU law perspective.

The digital twin concept