FROM A 3D MODEL TO A

DIGITAL TWIN - THREE STEPS OF

CREATING A DIGITAL SEAPORT

In the previous guide for asset managers and maintenance professionals, we discussed different technologies
for 3D data gathering, along with few examples of the utilization of 3D data. In this guide, we dive deeper into
the digitalization and find out how the georeferenced 3D survey data can be used to build a digital
twin of a seaport.

Digitalization has been reforming industries already for decades but recently, many countries have taken
huge steps in the path of digitalization. Increased need for remote working and the pressure to decrease
travelling has made digital twins even more important part of infrastucture management. Read on to find
out more about:

• What is a digital twin?

• What are three steps needed to build a digital twin of a seaport?
• How to get started with utilizing a digital twin in daily operations of a seaport?
WHAT IS A
DIGITAL TWIN?

A digital twin, is a virtual representation of its

physical counterpart. Originally digital twins
were used mostly in the manufacturing industry
for representing pieces of machinery but today, a
digital twin can include buildings or even a whole city
infrastructure. In the marine industry, various cases
of a digital twin analyze vessels and their condition or
location modelling (see for example a conference paper
by Hulkkonen, Manderbacka & Sugimoto 2019).

Modern remote sensing technologies enable quick data

gathering from wide areas, and powerful computers
make the modelling work faster. The advancements
of IoT have increased the use of digital twins in many
industries. For example, it is now possible to integrate
real-time data from the IoT sensors to the digital
twin. Combining versatile asset data into the digital
twin creates opportunities for smart management of
physical assets also when working remotely.
THREE STEPS OF BUILDING A
DIGITAL TWIN OF A SEAPORT

1. Create an accurate, georeferenced 3D model

2. Add attribute information to the 3D data
3. Integrate real-time information to the digital twin
1 CREATE AN ACCURATE,
GEOREFERENCED 3D MODEL

The foundation of a digital twin is georeferenced 3D data, such

as point clouds. The 3D data gathered by different surveying
technologies best suitable for a certain purpose - multibeam
sonar for the underwater areas, and laser or photogrammetry for
the above water areas and buildings. The previous guide of this
series discusses different surveying tecnologies in more detail. It is
important to find an expert surveyor; the survey itself is a complex
task, and the data post-processing and combining of different
datasets require thorough understanding of 3D data.

Georeferencing is an important element of a port's digital

twin, because most of the utilization possibilities require exact
information of the location. The correct location of the assets or
observations in the 3D model is central when managing operations
remotely. The accuracy should be within five centimeters (2”), if you
aim to use the data for quay condition inspection, for example. This
enables the maintenance crew to react to possible damages before
they become a threat to port safety.
2 ADD ATTRIBUTE
INFORMATION TO 3D DATA

A plain visual representation of the port needs a bit flesh

on the bones to become fully utilizable in maintenance
and operations. The attribute information attached to the
3D data can contain technical information, data on the
users and ownership of an asset, guidelines, rules, and
more. A cloud-based asset management and maintenance
software enables the availability of the information to
everyone needed, regardless of the location of professional
background.

This may be the most laborious phase of digitalization,

as the amount of information is almost countless, and
most of the times information is dispersed to various
software, databases and archives. The possibility to upload
a variety of information simultaneously from for example
spreadsheets or CAD files is essential in minimizing the
workload of this phase of building a digital twin.
3 INTEGRATE REAL-TIME
INFORMATION TO DIGITAL TWIN
One fundamental feature of a digital twin is its ability to receive real-time
information and therefore, to become an even more accurate model of the
reality, which can be used to forecast future development (for example in
predictive maintenance). You can, for example, include real-time data from
IoT sensors to the model. Integrations to external software or equipment, for
example AIS data (Automatic Identification System for vessels) or weather
stations can bring valuable information to a digital twin. This actually brings
the model a bit beyond the concept of digital twin, because the model not
only acts as a simulation of reality but can also be used to manage various
types of operations remotely, from vessel allocation to maintenance
management.

The opportunities for utilizing a digital twin of the port are various. Few
examples are introduced in a thesis (in Finnish) by Ville Kuitunen (2019), which
examined the deployment of an online 3D platform GISGRO in a Finnish
universal port. The thesis describes how port’s maintenance crew is able to
save time by sending work orders to subcontractors directly the platform, an
port operators can plan vessel allocations or check clearance depths remotely
and online. Besides saving time, the smart data management enables more
sustainable operations. For example, integrate the control of the lighting
poles to the digital twin to optimize the electricity usage.
HOW TO GET STARTED WITH
UTILIZING A DIGITAL TWIN IN DAILY
OPERATIONS OF A SEAPORT?

Traditionally, utilization of 3D data in port asset management requires various desktop software and plenty of
training and experience. Therefore, utilization of 3D data often becomes impractical and costly, especially for
smaller organizations. The technological advancements and innovations have made it possible to utilize 3D data,
such as point clouds, to build a digital twin of the infrastructure in the cloud. This means the data and the attribute
information attached to it are available to everyone needed, anywhere and at any time.

Building your digital twin to the cloud has various benefits. You don't need heavy software installations, all you need
is a decent computer and an up-to-date web browser. All data and tools are available as long as you have an internet
connection. The sharing of the data has never been easier; if you want to provide an access to the data to your
stakeholders, simply just send them an invitation link to the system. The user interface is simpler than in most hard
core engineering programs, so everyone can use it efficiently despite of the professional background.

Test a cloud asset management platform yourself

GISGRO is a smart and easy-to-use online platform for infrastructure management. GISGRO digitalizes physical
structures and enables efficient management of infrastructure for anyone, at any time and remotely from any place.
Go to GISGRO online demo to test the features with a pre-uploaded dataset or try GISGRO with your own data by
starting a free trial. To learn and discuss more, schedule a 20-minute online tour with GISGRO specialist.

Go to Demo Start Trial Schedule Online Tour

WWW.GISGRO.COM

CONTACT
Ville Mäkeläinen
+358 44 513 2222
ville@gisgro.com