Shipbuilder CEO Calls for a Sector Transition Towards Data-Driven Operations

Geert Schouten, CEO & owner of Shipbuilder:

Why does more than half of all maritime projects run into trouble sooner or later? Documents, folders, version numbers…in our sector we still struggle with them every day. At countless shipyards and design offices, teams stumble over folder structures, endless searches for the right version, and long email chains. Is that real organization? It is organized chaos. And it costs us time, quality, and energy every single day. Did you know that research shows highly skilled and scarce engineers spend up to 30% of their time searching for the right data?

I see it happening everywhere: project teams sharing information with the best intentions, yet still losing each other in a paper driven reality. All while we pretend to be working digitally. We have SharePoint, Excel, PDFs, and digital folders, right? Yet the principle remains the same: everyone keeps searching. The shipbuilding sector still works too often in a document driven way, while the world is rapidly moving toward data driven operations.

But what happens if we keep holding on to this? That is no longer an option, because the risks are too great. Those who keep relying on documents and folders also keep the errors alive: outdated drawings, wrong versions on board, delayed approvals, and unnecessary rework. These are direct threats to planning, safety, and profitability.

In my view, it is time to act now. As long as we hold on to document driven work, maritime projects will continue to fail. The solution is not yet another tool, but a completely different way of thinking and working. Data must be central: one single source of truth where requirements, drawings, and specifications are directly connected, where everyone knows what the latest version is, and where insight comes naturally.

The good news is: it is already possible.

So what we need is courage. Stop putting band-aids on outdated methods and choose real digitalization. Let us train people to use this innovative way of working in their daily practice. The maritime sector excels in craftsmanship and innovation. Let us apply that same mindset to our information processes. We already know what can be improved. The knowledge is there, the technology is there. Now we need the determination.

Who dares to let go of the folders?