Vessel owners and offshore contractors are increasingly investing in monitoring and communications technologies
Owners are discovering new ways to monitor the performance of onboard systems, using new satellite communications and analytics.
Siem Offshore is streamlining the maintenance processes through online monitoring services. It is investing, through a third-party service contract, in monitoring propulsion on its platform supply vessels (PSVs).
This Norway-headquartered owner will be monitoring the health and behaviour of propulsion on Siem Pride, Siem Symphony and Siem Thiima, operating in Norwegian and Australian waters.
This is part of the five-year contract it awarded to Steerprop for managing the maintenance of this manufacturer’s propulsion on these PSVs.
Steerprop Care Premium involves online monitoring of the condition of the main propulsion and using machine learning for predictive maintenance on Siem vessels.
Siem Offshore maritime manager in Australia, Aaron Barbetti, said using regular online data was the most efficient way to continuously monitor the state of the propulsion systems.
“The experience so far matches our expectations,” he said. “It gives comfort in the operation of the vessels and streamlines the maintenance process on board.”
This service provides Siem Offshore with advanced measurement capabilities, and if any development occurs that might cause future disturbances on a PSV, Steerprop’s predictive maintenance team will notify the crew, and provide remote assistance if necessary.
“Machine learning guides our experts in predictive maintenance to focus on the right measurements at the right time, revealing consequential changes in the behaviour of the propulsion system,” said Steerprop predictive digital maintenance (PDM) manager Jarkko Sirrola.
“With these insights, our team can work more efficiently, and we are able to provide information on equipment condition so well in advance that our customer can plan the upcoming maintenance as efficiently as possible.”
McDermott has introduced an energy emissions calculator tool, enabling its clients to calculate the carbon footprint of projects.
ArborXD is a web-based application to support carbon-conscious decision making for energy companies looking for a pathway to net-zero operations. It provides information on carbon emissions throughout a project’s lifecycle.
This includes data collection, estimation and reporting on the potential carbon impact of energy facilities before construction begins, said McDermott executive vice president and chief operating officer Samik Mukherjee.
“ArborXD is another demonstration of the powerful combination of McDermott’s integrated engineering expertise, innovation and commitment to advance and enable our customers’ sustainability goals,” he said.
“It is an energy industry differentiator that will help quantifiably reduce the operating footprint of the facilities we design and build.”
ArborXD is applied at the design phase and can be used throughout the energy project lifecycle – from concept, front-end engineering design or an engineering, procurement, construction and installation project. It provides lifecycle footprint estimates, cost trade-off analyses, emissions reduction pathways and environmental impact assessments.
Satellite communications is a vital element for implementing digitalisation in offshore projects and vessel operations. With that in mind, more OSV owners are upgrading their VSAT services and hardware for faster connectivity.
Subsea 7 is upgrading communications on its fleet of subsea construction and support vessels through an agreement with Marlink. Connectivity to Subsea 7’s vessels has guaranteed throughput levels using its hybrid network, enabling Subsea 7 to implement more digitalisation, optimisation and remote support services over its global fleet, including chartered and high-specification owned vessels.
These upgrades will also enhance communications and online connectivity for vessel crew, third-party subcontractors and energy company clients. Marlink will provide a secure hybrid network combining its global Sealink VSAT solution with L-band back-up and global 4G cellular services.
Subsea 7 vessels can use Tampnet’s network of long-term evolution (LTE) communications for operations in the North Sea and Gulf of Mexico. Marlink will also provide its XChange platform to create a separate network for secure crew communications.
In February 2022, Marlink extended its global maritime partnership with satellite operator Eutelsat Communications to expand VSAT coverage over the Red Sea, Middle East Gulf and in Africa, adding to its existing capacity in the Americas and Asia.
“Machine learning guides our experts in predictive maintenance”
This followed a separate deal signed by Marlink to offer connectivity through SES’ next-generation medium-Earth orbit (MEO) constellation, O3b mPower, in 2023, to offshore clients. Due to the shorter distance to Earth than geostationary satellites, O3b mPower satellites will provide high-throughput Ka-band communications with lower latency.
Low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites provide high throughput at even lower latency to MEO satellites. Marlink will start providing connectivity through OneWeb’s LEO constellation in trials in offshore northern Europe this year and globally from 2023.
By combining all these technologies, service providers can provide hybrid solutions through multiple pathways and multiple terminals for different applications.
Offshore geotechnical solutions provider Geoquip Marine has invested in Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress satellite communications on its fleet of geotechnical survey vessels to give clients their own dedicated connectivity. Fleet Xpress network services will be introduced for sole use by charterers and a Fleet Hotspot wifi will be provided for crew on four Geoquip vessels.
Inmarsat said these Fleet Xpress set-ups enable multiple networks to be connected to the vessel via a single antenna and activated without need for new hardware or shipboard installation work. These survey vessels are currently operating off the US east coast, off Taiwan and in Europe.
Geoquip Marine head of marine operations Nico Meijering sees the benefits of enabling multiple connectivity pipes to one ship using just one terminal. “By using the full capabilities of Fleet Xpress, we can offer our clients their own separate network to deploy the committed and maximum information rate capacity they require,” said Mr Meijering. “Having the ability to use multiple segregated networks in connecting to the vessel also enhances cyber security,” he added.
© 2023 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.