DITA specialization profiles for maritime documentation may exist, but they are typically organization-specific or created by industry consortia to address common needs. The maritime industry, like many others, benefits from DITA specialization to adapt the standard to its unique requirements. However, these specialization profiles are often not standardized across the entire industry due to variations in documentation needs among maritime companies and regulatory bodies.

Organization-Specific Specialization

Maritime companies may develop their own DITA specialization profiles to ensure that their documentation aligns with their specific needs. These profiles can include custom document types, elements, and attributes tailored to their vessels, equipment, and procedures. For example, a shipping company may create a specialized profile for container ship documentation, encompassing elements for container capacity, loading procedures, and safety protocols.

Industry Consortia Efforts

Industry consortia and organizations in the maritime sector may collaborate to create common DITA specialization profiles. These profiles aim to standardize certain aspects of maritime documentation to promote interoperability and consistency across the industry. While such efforts can lead to a degree of standardization, they may not cover all documentation aspects, given the diversity of maritime operations.

Example:

Here’s an example of how an organization-specific DITA specialization profile for maritime “Vessel Specifications” might look:

<!-- Define a specialized document type for Vessel Specifications -->
<element name="vessel-specifications" specialized="yes">
  <desc>A specialized document type for maritime vessel specifications.</desc>
  <attribute name="vessel-type">
    <desc>The type of vessel (e.g., cargo ship, oil tanker).</desc>
    <type>string</type>
  </attribute>
  <content>
    <element name="dimensions">
      <desc>Vessel dimensions.</desc>
    </element>
    <element name="capacity">
      <desc>Vessel capacity information.</desc>
    </element>
    <element name="propulsion">
      <desc>Vessel propulsion system details.</desc>
    </element>
  </content>
</element>

In this example, a shipping company has created a specialized DITA element for “vessel-specifications” that includes custom attributes and elements relevant to their fleet.