For centuries, the maritime industry has continually upgraded its information sources and processing capabilities to improve safety, efficiency, and reliability. The global positioning system and satellite communication have become essential information sources for modern navigation in the digital era. Today, shipping is a capital, energy, and information-intensive industry. This article introduces the discipline of Maritime Informatics, which studies the application of information systems to increasing the efficiency, safety, and ecological sustainability of the world’s shipping industry. The shipping industry's future depends on digitisation, digital data exchange standards, collaborative decision-making, and spatial-temporal analytics.