New technologies serving nautical activity. R&D&I in the nautical sector: The Galician experience
Zarpar is the platform that connects boat owners and crew to live unique nautical experiences. ZARPAR’s mission is to multiply x10 the use of boats in Spain and promote social boating. From 15 outings per year per boat only in summers, to 150 outings all year round.
New technologies serving nautical activity. R&D&I in the nautical sector: The Galician experience
Javier Marque Loimil, CEO of Prodimar
José Manuel Díaz Díaz, Technical Director of AB8 Marine
Pablo López, CEO of Hacce Comunicaciones
This roundtable brought together three leading Galician companies in nautical innovation to share their experiences in R&D&I applied to the sector.
Prodimar: Smart supply management in ports
Javier Marque presented Shipibox, a revolutionary system that digitizes electrical pedestals in marinas without needing to replace them. With 37 years of experience in industrial electronics and after collaborating with commercial ports since the 90s, Prodimar has brought this technology to recreational boating.
How does Shipibox work?
The system is based on small IoT modules that are installed between the electrical protections and the outlets of existing pedestals. These devices, connected via Wi-Fi, allow:
- Real-time monitoring of electrical consumption
- Remote on/off control of outlets
- Fraud detection (unauthorized disconnections)
- Prepaid payment management (for transients) or postpaid (for members)
- Water supply control as well
Users can check their consumption from their mobile, while port managers have full access from a cloud-based web platform (Shippeweb).
Proven benefits
With the system already installed in 25 Galician ports, the results are clear:
- Economic efficiency: Exactly what each user consumes is charged, balancing the port’s accounts
- Sustainability: Consumption is drastically reduced when users pay for actual use (nobody washes their boat so cheerfully if they have to pay for it)
- Reuse: Existing pedestals are utilized, regardless of their brand or age
AB8 Marine: Custom lifting equipment
José Manuel Díaz explained the evolution of AB8 Marine, born in 2012 as IP Marinas and now specialized in cranes and lifting systems for marinas.
Work philosophy
Their success is based on three pillars:
- Research: Design products adapted to each client’s specific needs
- Development: Adjust requirements in close communication with the port
- Innovation: Stay current on energy efficiency, sustainability and communications
Experience and customization
With a stable technical team since 2012, AB8 Marine offers:
- Completely customized design for each club
- Continuous communication with the client throughout the process
- Global after-sales service (even in South America and Africa) through training of local companies
- Own manufacturing from scratch with quality European components
Product catalog
Their wide range includes:
- Electric gantry cranes (the first in Europe was installed in 2015)
- Multi-hoist cranes
- Submersible haul-out carts (with electronics out of the water for greater durability)
- Mobile accessibility cranes with batteries for people with reduced mobility
- Dry marinas, stands and haul-out cradles
- Waste extraction pumps
A notable example: the installation of two cranes on a rock for the Spanish Navy with no access by road or sea, demonstrating their ability to adapt to special situations.
Hacce Comunicaciones: Technology at the service of people
Pablo López closed the presentations with a deep reflection on the implementation of management software in yacht clubs, warning about common mistakes in digitalization.
The problem with conventional ERPs
López questioned why yacht clubs need specific software when, apparently, they do the same as any company: invoice, manage customers, charge for services. The answer lies in the philosophy:
Yacht clubs don’t have customers, they have members. Their mission is not to make money, but to provide service.
The dangers of poor implementation
He warned about how an ERP implementation is usually decided:
- The manager only wants KPIs in green and for it not to be too expensive
- The systems manager seeks zero problems and maximum security
- Result: Nobody consults the workers who will use it or the members who will suffer it
This approach can radically change the organization’s culture, forcing rigid processes (like requiring ID for any transaction) that destroy the natural relationship with members.
Technology is easy to sell (too easy)
With irony, López demonstrated how easy it is to sell technology with empty promises:
“Does anyone want to try selling technology? It’s super easy. I promise you whatever you want and you’re even going to believe it. And if I add ‘with artificial intelligence’, I have you at my feet. […] But the most important thing in technology is people.”
The right path
His key message: before choosing technology, you must be very clear about:
- What is our purpose as an organization?
- Where do we want to go?
- What culture do we want to maintain?
Technology should help us on our path, not set a different one for us. It’s not about changing course to adapt to the software, but about the software adapting to our objectives.
“Technology is beautiful when it’s at the service of people, not when we people are victims of technology.”
Discussion: Security and privacy in IoT
During the debate, interesting questions arose about the security of these connected systems. The moderator raised the anecdote of Julia Otero scandalized to discover that her refrigerator, Roomba and light bulbs “chat” with each other sharing information.
Peace of mind in the nautical case
Javier Marque reassured regarding Shipibox:
- The devices are not constantly connected, they only send periodic reports
- The information traffic is minimal (some ports even work with basic ADSL connection)
- The system is autonomous: it can cut supplies even if Wi-Fi fails
- Connectivity is only used for remote commands and consumption reports
Origin of innovation
About how the collaboration between technology developers and yacht clubs arose, Marque explained that it was a natural evolution: after more than 10 years managing supplies in large commercial ports, Javier Ruiz de Cortázar (president of Club Náutico Porto Novo) contacted them to bring that experience to recreational boating.
The challenge was to “shrink everything”: reduce systems designed for huge ships and adapt them to small boats. Initially they thought about designing complete pedestals, but discarded the idea when they verified that no port would want to throw theirs away. The advancement of IoT finally allowed them to create small modules that integrate into existing infrastructures.
Software vs Hardware: What’s harder?
When asked what was harder to develop, Marque was clear: the software. Creating a cloud platform capable of managing devices scattered across 25 different ports was the biggest challenge, since the software for commercial ports (locally installed and very closed) had nothing to do with the needs of yacht clubs.
Conclusion
This roundtable demonstrated that Galicia is at the forefront of nautical innovation, with companies capable of developing complete solutions that combine hardware, software and a deep understanding of the sector’s specific needs. The common message: technology must be a tool at the service of people and the environment, not an end in itself.