"The shipping industry is characterised by a high demand for information products and data. There is, however, a need for more advanced information products and analytical services than what is currently on offer.This proposal aims to bring together the two worlds of data providers and maritime economists an foster close collaboration. The aim of this proposal is to launch actual new information products, including the required software tools, that result from this cooperation. This is expected to fill a gap in information demand, such as better forecasting of transport price development by advanced commodity pipeline modelling, better monitoring of the environmental footprint of shipping in a region by combining ship movements with accurate environmental footprint models, and improved financial assessment of shipping companies and activities by integrating creditworthiness information with operational performance of ships.This proposal describes the development of the cooperation between one of the main players in the maritime information industry – Lloyd’s List Intelligence – with some of the main players in maritime economics research: the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, City University London/Cass Business School and the university of Antwerp/ITMMA. By exchanging personnel between Lloyd’s List Intelligence and these academic partners, a dedicated group of researchers is formed that can make the connections between market demand, data availability and advanced economic modelling approaches that are required to fulfil the objective of this project. This process of joint learning is supported by additional training and development activities, as well as some exploratory research to investigate the usefulness of certain modelling approaches. The result of this project is the development of innovative new products and tools, and a sustained collaboration beyond the end of this project."