New condition-based maintenance project gets green light

A new maintenance and management process will be developed under a joint research project with ClassNK that will help establish a classification survey scheme based on condition-based maintenance (CBM).

A continuous machinery survey (CMS) that provides time-based maintenance (TBM) based on overhaul inspections carried out in intervals of no more than five years is used for the maintenance/survey of ship engines. As a CMS requires verification of the chief engineer’s overhaul inspection records or verification by a class surveyor every five years, an overhaul inspection is carried out regardless of machinery condition, and the ship’s safety is verified by replacing or repairing spare parts and consumable supplies. Thanks to recent progress in the development of sensing technology, information processing technology, remote assessment technology and other IoT technology – as well as the revision of ClassNK’s rules in line with the changes from IACS UR Z27 – it has become possible to apply survey methods in CMS based on the CBM of engine plants.

Under the joint research project, engine conditions will be continuously monitored and detailed data acquired from sources including SIMS2 developed by NYK Group and the newly installed sensors of large main engines will be shared in real time. Utilising the knowhow of engine manufactures, the projects will work to make failure predictions and remaining useful life (RUL) predictions for the engine, by taking advantage of manufacturer expertise to create optimal CBM guidelines and verifying them on actual ships. ClassNK hopes to apply the outcomes of the joint research to establish a new classification survey scheme based on CBM. It intends to continue to support the cutting-edge initiatives of the industry and construct a more streamlined survey scheme using digital technology.

Technological advances, including the arrival of more powerful data analytics, have improved the provision of high throughput connectivity at sea, while more robust and smaller sensors mean the technical barriers to the practical adoption of CBM are shrinking, according to ClassNK. Furthermore, there is a growing appreciation among vessel owners of the role CBM can play in keeping operational costs in check while improving vessel reliability and safety.

Based on these developments, ClassNK is revising its rules on CBM to set out the conditions for its use in the context of streamlining and delivering greater flexibility in vessel inspections. The revised rules will come into effect in early 2020 and will be constantly updated, incorporating the outcomes from the above-mentioned R&D as well as technological developments.