The offshore oil and gas sector has made progress in digitalising offshore operations. Across the sector, operators now use data to improve visibility, strengthen asset performance, reduce downtime, support emissions reporting and make complex activities more predictable.
Yet one part of the offshore operating model is still too often treated as a supporting function, rather than a core part of operational performance: the marine logistics chain. Offshore oil and gas production relies on support vessels. Platform supply vessels, anchor handlers, fast support intervention vessels, crew boats and multi-purpose support vessels move people, cargo, equipment and critical supplies between ports, fields and offshore assets. They support drilling, production, maintenance, construction, as well as emergency response. These vessels are an essential part of the system that keeps those operations running smoothly, efficiently and safely.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Access deeper industry intelligence
Experience unmatched clarity with a single platform that combines unique data, AI, and human expertise.
That is why oil and gas digitalisation cannot stop at the platform, the production asset or the control room. To build a complete picture of efficiency, emissions, cost and resilience operators need to include the vessels that connect offshore assets to the shore. The opportunity is significant because many inefficiencies in offshore marine logistics are routine. Vessels wait for work sites to be ready, cargo schedules change and priorities shift late, with instructions evolving as operational conditions change. A vessel may remain on standby longer than planned, sail with underused deck capacity, or spend more time than necessary in fuel-intensive operating modes.
Individually, these moments can look like unavoidable features of offshore work with marginal impact. At fleet scale, however, they affect fuel consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, vessel availability, crew workload, cost allocation and the reliability of operational planning. Offshore activity is highly dynamic and teams must respond quickly to changing field requirements, weather windows, asset readiness and production priorities. In many organisations, small shore-based teams manage large and complex fleets across multiple operating areas. While data is abundant, the challenge is turning that data into guidance that supports decisions in real time and improves routines over time.
The next phase of digitalisation needs to move beyond dashboards. Dashboards are valuable because they create visibility, but visibility is only the first step. Real value comes when operational data is translated into decision-ready intelligence – specific, practical guidance that crews, coordinators and shore teams can trust and act on. In marine offshore operations, the most consistent gains often come from repeatable improvements rather than one-off initiatives. This includes reducing unnecessary idle or standby time, improving transit practices where conditions allow, applying the right operating mode at the right time, using deck space more effectively and making vessel availability more predictable. Over time, these changes can make a measurable difference.
The impact of this approach can already be seen in recent operational results from Tullow Oil in Ghana. Tullow’s MV Flat Confidence, an anchor handling tug supply vessel supporting the company’s operations, delivered a 732.6m³ reduction in fuel consumption and avoided 1,984t of CO₂, while recording a 95% best-practice application rate in on-field standby.
An example of how the fuel and emissions savings from a single vessel can rapidly increase at fleet scale is Opsealog’s long-term work with ADNOC Logistics & Services. Across more than 100 offshore support vessels operating in the Middle East, the partnership has achieved fuel savings of more than 20,400m³ and GHG reductions of more than 55,600t of CO₂.
Of course, every fleet is different and operating profiles vary, but these examples show that, when digital monitoring is connected to consistent operational action, the marine logistics chain can become a real lever for performance improvement.
For oil and gas operators, marine logistics has a direct impact on emissions, cost and resilience. Future fuels, electrification and new vessel designs will all be important to the long-term transition, but operators also need solutions that can reduce emissions today, using the assets and infrastructure already in operation. Better data use, planning discipline and consistent application of best practice can deliver immediate progress.
The marine logistics chain is often overlooked because it sits between chartering, finance, fleet management, health and safety, offshore operations, procurement and sustainability. But that is exactly why it matters – it is where operational reality, commercial performance and environmental reporting meet. If oil and gas operators want digitalisation to deliver measurable results, they should treat offshore vessels not as a separate logistics cost, but as an integral part of the operating model. The next gains in performance will come from turning data into routines that crews can apply, shore teams can manage and operators can measure.
With more than 20 years of experience in the offshore and maritime sector, Damien Bertin combines expertise in maritime law, international business and maritime management. At Opsealog, he leads initiatives that support operational excellence, working closely with clients to implement data-driven solutions that enhance fleet performance, reduce costs and improve sustainability.
