Shipping companies should invest in enterprise asset management (EAM) to gain insights into how they can improve procedures and increase productivity
Many shipping companies and offshore vessel operators are using outdated systems for managing their assets and not getting the full benefits from real-time solutions.
But, through partnership with EAM providers, owners and managers would gain take advantage up-to-date information to optimise operations, said Bentley Systems director and SRO Solutions managing director Tony Lackey.
He explained to Maritime Optimisation & Communications the major financial benefits owners would gain through upgrading their EAM platform.
“Operating round-the-clock in a network of integrated assets and shore locations, can yield dramatic efficiency gains in business integration, maintenance management and procurement, with a significant impact on the bottom line,” he said.
“EAM has only recently become available in close to real-time onboard ships trading globally, offshore assets in remote locations and their respective managers ashore.”
Bentley Systems subsidiary SRO Solutions partnered with computer giant IBM to provide configured Maximo EAM system to shipowners, managers and offshore operators.
It combines Maximo’s functionality and SRO’s maritime and offshore-focused solution to transform analogue systems into always-on digital ones.
“We can tailor Maximo to suit our clients’ needs, with services specifically geared to mobile assets,” said Mr Lackey. “We identified its implementation in shipping and offshore sectors as different industries have different requirements.”
SRO deploys Maximo on ships and offshore drilling rigs, providing its own integral data replication engine, then manages the EAM for owners.
This automatically synchronising all Maximo data when vessels and assets are at sea, whatever the connectivity.
“Connected assets and shore managers have the same quality of service, irrespective of latency or low bandwidth restrictions,” said Mr Lackey.
“The system recovers data from any interrupted connections and makes sure that no manual intervention is required. Data is delivered in the way that is proscribed by technical personnel within a particular business.”
A recent project, completed successfully for Stena Drilling, involved a team of six working for more than a year on the installation of a Maximo 7.6.1 system across a fleet of six offshore drilling semi-submersibles and drillships and the company’s head office in Aberdeen, Scotland.
This system enables efficient procurement, proactive equipment maintenance and prevents expensive and disruptive breakdowns, said Mr Lackey.
Other benefits include efficiency gains from improved procurement systems, an ability to align procurement with live foreign exchange rates for the best deal, integration with other software on the individual assets, and insights on equipment performance to assist future procurement strategies.
Mr Lackey’s team also provided training for Stena Drilling personnel in the Canary Islands, Guyana, Israel, Scapa Flow, Scotland and the company’s Aberdeen office.
Offshore production ship operator Modec also modernised its asset management on its vessels and shore base in Africa, reducing procurement costs, using SRO and Maximo.
In January 2021, DNV GL granted type-approval for IBM’s Maximo version 7.x for use in maritime and offshore applications, with the certification process overseen by Manchester, UK-based SRO.
With these managed services, SRO provides owners with “additional insights and options to improve procedures, raise productivity and boost revenues,” said Mr Lackey. “There really is huge scope for efficiency gains.”
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