Last week, Christian Albrecht and I were at Nor-Shipping in Oslo, one of the major international trade fairs for the maritime industry.
It was an intense and rewarding few days: Until recently, we had only shown the UI prototype of our Squid Data Hub to Eplan and a few prospective customers. Now, for the first time, we presented the working software to a broader public audience.
Thanks to our tech partners at Eplan, we had a spot at their booth and could show how our Squid Data Hub fits into a larger picture — connecting electrical engineering and system integration in shipbuilding and other industrial projects.
🔌 What we showed — and what resonated
We demonstrated how engineers can design electrical systems in Eplan Electric P8, then sync the structured data to Squid Data Hub. From there, the data becomes centrally available — via a web interface and APIs — for managing, routing, reporting, exporting, and integrating with related systems like 3D CAD tools or logistics platforms.
🧠 Ideas we’re taking home
The fair confirmed several assumptions and offered new impulses for future development:
- We saw how important systems are as a structuring principle in large shipbuilding projects. Responsibility is often assigned per system to subcontractors, and engineers working on a system focus entirely on their scope. The ability to drill down from systems to assemblies and devices is therefore essential for efficient collaboration.
- Several visitors mentioned the need for Electrical Balance (E-Bilanz) features — particularly in projects where the power supply system must be validated and documented formally.
- The potential for deeper integration with the Eplan Data Portal came up in multiple conversations. Many saw value in being able to work directly with structured component data during early engineering phases and reduce manual effort in data preparation.
👥 What the fair offered us
Beyond presenting Squid, Nor-Shipping offered three key opportunities:
- Customer conversations
We spoke with several engineering teams who visited the Eplan booth and became curious about the Data Hub. Their questions and feedback were helpful for sharpening our understanding of practical needs and expectations. - Exchange with Eplan consultants for the Nordic region
We were glad to meet with Eplan consultants from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. They now have a clearer picture of what Squid can offer — and several expressed interest in exploring its relevance for their own customer base. - Industry insights
By walking the fair and talking to various vendors and shipyards, we gathered valuable impressions of where the maritime sector is headed — from digitalization to decarbonization and the increasing push for tighter integration between engineering and operations.
All in all, it was a strong first public appearance for Squid and a great checkpoint for the direction we’re taking. Thanks to the whole team for getting the application ready in time — and to everyone who visited us in Oslo.
Oliver Tigges
Oliver is one of the founders and managing directors of Inspired. In client projects, he is always particularly interested in mediating between the engine room and the boardroom. He also supports management in assessing the opportunities, risks and effects of pioneering and sustainable technology decisions.
