# Value Creation with Digital Twins: Application-Oriented Conceptual Framework and Case Study
## 6 Discussion
### Value Creation with Digital Twins at Shiptec  
As discussed in Section 5, Shiptec does not yet use all elements described in the application-oriented DTF. Therefore, by presenting the use case in the framework and comparing it to the generic version, many options for further development are revealed.  
Figure 15: The digital twin as a common thread connecting different time perspectives of an instance at Shiptec.  
Four possible approaches and their benefits for Shiptec and its customers are discussed in this subchapter.  
**Product management levels--**Regarding the levels of product management, Shiptec currently creates value with DTs on only one of the three levels, the instances of the ships. Even though there are already approaches to not only use instances, the product management levels type, and portfolio are currently unused. A phased approach would be beneficial for the introduction of types and portfolios. The next logical step is the introduction of types for the ships, including corresponding subordinate systems and connected products. This would not only unlock potential for future developments but also create additional value for existing instances of ships, for example, by optimizing the management and availability of spare parts. With the introduction of types for specific subsystems, the added value of such an approach could be demonstrated cost-effectively before introducing types at the ship level and later a portfolio of ship types.  
**Integration into higher ecosystems--**With regard to network effects, it certainly would create additional value to not only manage individual ships with DTs but also higher levels of the ecosystem. The next step would be to optimize the fleet management on a lake with the information and knowledge provided by the DTs of the ships. Furthermore, by connecting such DTs of fleets to other smart traffic systems, for example, public transportation providers such as Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), the operation of fleets could be optimized and controlled by DTs across several lakes.  
**Additional sensor data--**Last but not least, the equipment of the ships with sensors and the usage of sensors provided by OEMs is far from being exhausted. In this context, generating additional data with sensors is conceivable in three areas. On the one hand, using sensors that provide additional data on the ship's critical processes could help to optimize the operation and maintenance, such as vibration or rotation sensors to provide condition-based maintenance. Furthermore, installing additional sensors that detect environmental influences on the ship's behavior and state could further optimize the journey for crew and passengers. For example, sensors for pollen and other air pollutants could allow the air quality inside the ship to be improved with existing systems. Finally, there are opportunities to attach sensors to the ships to gather data to provide services for external partners. For example, sensors to measure the water quality for the cities or regions in which the ships operate.  
**Higher smartness maturity--**As previously mentioned in Section 5.4, the DT of Shiptec has further potential regarding autonomy and self-optimization. Using data from the propulsion system and the HVAC system, an optimization algorithm could be developed to control the onboard climate system, ensuring optimal conditions for crew and passengers with minimal fuel consumption, while the necessary data is already available, adding more sensors to understand indoor climate and air quality better could help further optimize the crew and passengers' experience. It is also possible to envision an operation with partial or full autonomy, but this would require the installation of additional sensors to record the surrounding conditions in real-time. This could enable services such as autonomous docking and undocking of ships.