Twintech Unveils Digital Thread Platform Konnect xD at 2025 Nantong Marine Engineering Industry Exhibition

Hong Kong, China — 19th September, 2025

At the 2025 Nantong Marine Engineering Industry Exhibition, Jeffrey Lu, Technical Commercial Director of Twintech, introduced the company's groundbreaking Digital Thread Platform, Konnect xD. The innovative solution addresses the growing complexities of large-scale offshore engineering projects, providing a unified framework for seamless data integration and collaboration in the EPC 4.0 era.

Navigating the Challenges of Offshore Projects

Lu began by highlighting the intricate challenges posed by large-scale offshore projects, such as FPSOs (Floating Production Storage and Offloading units), LNG vessels, and other complex marine infrastructure. These projects, known for their high technical demands, significant investments, extended timelines, and substantial risks, often involve numerous global stakeholders, including general contractors, subcontractors, shipyards, and suppliers.

"The primary challenge lies in managing data," Lu noted. "Data silos, lack of transparency, and the inability to integrate systems have long plagued the industry, often relegating valuable project information to what we refer to as a 'data graveyard.'"

The roundtable discussion — themed FPSO/FLNG Technology Innovation and Industry Chain Collaboration: Towards Low Carbonization and Intelligentization — provided further insights into digitalization across the EPC lifecycle in China:

• Design Stage: While digital twins are widely used to simulate and optimize designs, integrating AI beyond demo-level applications remains a challenge.
• Construction Stage: Despite investments and demonstrations, digitalization is still in its infancy, requiring significant advancements.
• Operation Stage: Digitalization and intelligent operations are relatively mature. Advanced data analysis and AI training have successfully reduced system shutdowns or alarms by 20–30%.

Konnect xD: The Future of Data-Driven Collaboration

To address these challenges, Konnect xD offers a comprehensive solution that integrates, standardizes, and governs data across all stages of the project lifecycle. By creating a unified "digital thread," the platform provides a single source of truth, enabling seamless collaboration among stakeholders regardless of their roles, locations, or the tools they use.

Lu outlined three foundational principles of the platform:

1. Structured digital information that connects all phases of an offshore project's lifecycle, from design to commissioning and beyond.
2. Cross-disciplinary collaboration, integrating teams across languages, cultures, and disciplines to achieve synchronized workflows.
3. A single source of truth that ensures accessible, accurate, and reliable data at any point in time.

Central to the platform is its ability to consolidate diverse engineering information into a 3D digital thread — a dynamic and intelligent model incorporating vital data such as drawings, material attributes, certifications, and parameters. The digital thread evolves alongside the project, forming a lasting, living asset for long-term operational management.

A Robust Framework for Data Governance

The success of Konnect xD lies in its rigorous approach to data governance — the cornerstone of effective project management in the EPC 4.0 era. The platform's governance framework is built on four key pillars:

1. Data Connectivity: Ensuring accessibility across all data formats, from 1D documents to 3D models.
2. Data Integration: Capturing raw, unaltered data to preserve its integrity and eliminate inconsistencies.
3. Data Standardization: Leveraging AI and automation to reformat and redefine data based on industry standards and project-specific requirements.
4. Relationship Mapping: Establishing dynamic links between data points to create an interconnected network, enabling comprehensive insights and decision-making.

This approach ensures that the data foundation is AI-ready, enabling organizations to leverage machine learning and predictive analytics.

Preparing for the AI Era

A key feature of Konnect xD is its readiness for AI integration, positioning Twintech's clients to capitalize on the next wave of digital innovation. During the presentation, Lu demonstrated how AI could be applied to calculate the total weight of pipe supports across a project — with the system, capable of operating in multiple languages, delivering precise results instantly.

"The next phase of industrial transformation will be driven by AI and data," Lu emphasized. "By building a foundation of standardized, governed data, we are empowering our clients to lead the way in leveraging AI for smarter, faster, and more efficient decision-making."

Real-World Results in Offshore Engineering

Since its inception in 2022, Konnect xD has been successfully deployed across 12 major offshore projects, including 8 FPSOs, 3 wellhead platforms, and 1 LNG vessel.

One of the most notable projects highlighted was the FPSO Yellowtail in Guyana — as the world's largest and most advanced FPSO project, it set new benchmarks for offshore engineering and demonstrated the robustness of the platform in managing complex, high-pressure environments.

Twintech's clients such as SBM Offshore and Qingdao Wuchuan McDermott (QMW) have adopted the platform to streamline project management and govern data more effectively. SBM has re-branded the solution internally as "3D Construction", using it as the foundation for their data governance and visualization efforts.

Redefining Industry Standards

As Lu explained, the "K" in Konnect xD stands for "knowledge and know-how", emphasizing the company's expertise in addressing the unique challenges of the sector.

"Our mission is to transform fragmented project data into a valuable corporate asset," Lu stated. "By bridging gaps between people, systems, and disciplines, we are not only addressing today's challenges but also equipping the industry for the future."

A Pivotal Milestone at Nantong

At the exhibition, Lu showcased live demonstrations of Konnect xD's capabilities to industry leaders and technical experts. The presentation was met with widespread acclaim, with attendees recognizing the platform's potential to redefine project management and data integration in the offshore engineering sector.

With its innovative solutions, proven track record, and focus on AI readiness, Twintech is poised to lead the industry into a future defined by smarter, more efficient, and more connected project management practices.