DNV has awarded Jiangnan Shipyard an Approval in Principle (AiP) for its Jiangnan Intelligent System JNIS (DATA) under the D-INF(S) class notation. Jiangnan received the recognition for their standardized onboard data platform which is aligned with ISO 19847 and ISO 19848.
The accelerating digital transformation of the maritime industry depends on trusted, high-quality data collected systematically from sensors, control systems, and other onboard sources. But as vessels generate increasingly large and complex datasets, the reliability and consistency of this data is critical. To unlock the benefits of digitalization, shipping needs standardized data infrastructures that ensure secure collection, storage, and exchange, and which are aligned with international requirements.
The JNIS (DATA) platform from Jiangnan Shipyard is designed to integrate data from diverse equipment manufacturers, break down information silos, and support a wide range of current and future digital applications. As part of the D-INF AiP, DNV has worked with Jiangnan Shipyard to validate their standardized ship–shore data model, establish a unified and structured database, and advance Jiangnan’s digital foundation for intelligent ship construction.
Image: At the handover ceremony during Marintec 2025: (Left to right) Liu Yaoyong, DNV Area Business Development Manager for China South; Jason Liu, DNV Regional Business Development Manager for Greater China; Norbert Kray, DNV Senior Vice President and Regional Manager for Greater China; Cai Qianya, Chief Techinal Director of Jiangnan Shipyard; Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria, DNV Maritime Chief Operating Officer; Hu Hongyu, Vice President of Jiangnan Shipyard; Zhao Shoujun, Head of Science and Technology Development Department of Jiangnan Shipyard.
Lin Qingshan, Jiangnan’s Vice President, said: “Receiving DNV’s D-INF(S) AiP is a major milestone in our digital transformation. The validation of JNIS (DATA) by DNV strengthens our ability to deliver intelligent, future-ready vessels and supports our commitment to secure, efficient, and standardized data sharing. In addition, the completion of a systematic gap analysis on our competence in building smart large containerships and LNG carriers, will help us to benchmark against industry best practice and lays the groundwork for further development in MASS systems and vessels.”
Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria, Chief Operating Officer, DNV Maritime, added: “Trusted data flows are fundamental for the next generation of more connected, safer, and efficient vessels. At DNV we have developed the D-INF rules to in response to the increasing demand for data-driven decision-making. We are very pleased to award Jiangnan Shipyard this AiP, it reflects a strong ongoing collaboration and ensures that maritime data networks and standardized, secure data infrastructure can be embedded at the yard level to support the industry’s drive to enhance digitalization.”
Jiangnan will continue testing the system and move toward installation on newbuilds to verify in-service performance and secure ship-to-shore data sharing. The architecture is designed to be expandable to cover additional services and uses, including remote inspection and data-driven verification (DDV).
The D-INF notation verifies that the data collection infrastructure systems can collect data from a range of different systems and supports input and output according to a standardized ISO 19847/19848 format to support cost-effective, scalable, reliable and secure data collection, storage, and exchange of data. The rules set out requirements for a data collection infrastructure to facilitate vessel-to-shore data exchange.
An Approval in Principle (AiP) is an independent evaluation of a concept based on a predefined framework of requirements. It confirms the feasibility of the design and ensures there are no significant technical obstacles hindering its implementation.
