The concept of platform has been around for many years, connecting and facilitating interactions between various parties. The term “platform” has become increasingly popular in recent years, particularly in the context of technology and the internet. One of the main drivers of this popularity has been the growth of the internet and the increasing availability of digital technologies. Social media platforms connect people and share content, while e-commerce platforms account for almost 19% of total retail sales worldwide in 2022 according to Zhao (2022). The rise of cloud computing platform has grown in the early 21st century, as high-speed internet connectivity and the falling storage and computing costs. Simultaneously, big data phase three as Hu, H. & Wen, Y (2014) demonstrated the gigantic amount of content from mobile and sensor-based content.
The study will investigate the use of industry data platform which is used to store, process, and analyse large amount of data across a specific industry. Sharing the data within the platform will support decision-making, improve efficiency, and drive innovation. Literature has few examples for sustainability-oriented platforms initialized by non-governmental organizations. The study will focus on a use case from the maritime industry, known for its complex supply chain, large amount of data, the global nature of the industry, and the extended ecosystem.
The study will investigate the opportunities and limitations for cross-industry sharing. Applying the distinct design parameters from the expanded platform model from Walravens & Ballon (2013) on value network, technical architecture, value proposition, governance, and public value parameters.
As data platform will provide data as a service, we will review the different aspects of data process, storage, security, integrity, analysis, visualization, and integration across the different actors within the ecosystem.
We build on Gawer & Cusumano (2015) strategic option for platform leaders to build a unique value proposition through sharing data and building a strong ecosystem. We argue that industry data platform will accelerate the green shift offering more sustainable solutions by improving efficiency, enhancing accuracy and verification, increasing the impact of the data by making it more accessible to wider audience, drive innovation, and improve decision making by providing a more comprehensive and accurate view of the data. Additionally, with the world consuming 94 zettabytes of data as Naeem (2022) documented, storing data in a single location can potentially save energy by reducing the amount of data transfer and storage infrastructure required to access and use the data.