A typical warship has thousands of sensors. Sensor input is key for the ability of the ship to float as well as to carry out all practical operations at sea. Live readings of multiple sensors are visualized and processed by personnel at the bridge to take decisions. Digitization of sensor data enable ability to use high end computers for complex analysis of sensor data using Artificial Intelligence algorithms. Storage and monitoring capability of historical sensor data helps predictive and preventive maintenance of all the equipment onboard the ship thereby enhancing safety and operational efficiency. Hierarchical private IOT cloud setup on each ship can do wonders in rapid expansion and deployment of IOT applications and data analytics. Important sensor data shall be connected to Private IOT cloud over Internet Protocol (IP). Wireless Local Area Network (LAN) infrastructure reduces the amount of cabling required in ships thereby bringing down the cable density in the ducts and easy maintenance. While the displays at the bridge continue to focus on critical parameters, connected smart phone applications for accessing and visualizing the sensor data improves the comfort level of ship crew to access data and enhance operational efficiency. This paper focus on choice of 5G NR technology for setting up of machine-to-machine communication infrastructure. 5G NR offers large density of sensor nodes, quality of service parameters and secured communication. How the 5G user end device ecosystem offers low cost and low power wide area network (LPWAN) can be exploited for addressing the sensor network onboard ship. The evolving 5GNR standards has an immense potential to transform sensor network, smarter ways of accessing data and enable AI/ML algorithms for analysing sensor data. Lekha Wireless is an active member contributing to 5G standards through TSDSI, a standards development office (SDO) representing India at 3GPP. Lekha has experience of deploying 4G and IOT network for private enterprise and naval requirements.