The recent expansion in cloud services has led to the development of a host of ship and fleet management solutions with online portals
Cloud services have become the main host for a series of fleet management, ship monitoring and crew management solutions. Shipping companies can access data from vessels in their fleets and information about their seafarers through secure online portals that can be accessed anywhere worldwide with a broadband connection. As a result, superintendents, fleet managers and company executives can keep track of the key performance indicators (KPIs) of their ships and crew, at their own convenience. They can also act on the information to optimise fuel consumption, improve ship efficiency and ensure crew are trained to the correct standards.
Developments in this technology mean that nearly all fleet services with online access are cloud-based. For example, when Eniram recently developed the SkyLight service for vessel performance monitoring and optimisation it included a cloud-based data centre with user access. The service uses a portable hardware unit, with sensors and its own software, which is installed on a ship. This records ship performance data and sends this to a cloud-based database via a satellite link.
Eniram vice president for commercial shipping Jan Wilhelmsson said this service is free of expensive and complex onboard installations as it comprises just one compact and mobile unit. “This unit has sensors and a transponder with a connection to our own satellite coverage that sends real-time data to the fleet cloud,” he said. The service produces reports such as normalised fuel consumption, charter party monitoring information and the vessel’s speed profile. “The latest development includes setting up speed alarms and including weather information,” said Mr Wilhelmsson. Eniram was acquired by Wärtsilä earlier this year.
The Netherlands-headquartered VAF Instruments has developed the Ivy fleet performance monitoring software to work alongside its existing ship sensors and processing unit. This is accessed online through a mobile application and a cloud service. VAF area sales manager Edwin Schuirink explained how Ivy provides ship operators and managers with data analytics from onboard sensors. These include flow meter, engine torque, propulsion thrust and fuel density sensors. “Ivy logs the data and performs analytics on shore on the relevant data so shipowners can compare ship KPIs in the fleet,” he said. “They can compare engine performance, propeller efficiency and hull fouling by using the torque and thrust sensors. Operators can analyse data between drydockings to get direct visibility of the propeller and hull performance,” Mr Schuirink added.
BAE Systems is running tests on a new cloud-based software platform for ship KPIs and condition monitoring under the Sea-Cores (ship energy assessment – condition optimisation and routing enhancement system) project. Its consortium partners include James Fisher Mimic, which is providing sensor data, and OSIsoft that has developed the software platform. The cloud-based platform will incorporate voyage data recorders, navigation equipment and engine performance information.
BAE Systems platform energy manager Adrian Skidmore said the consortium was looking at energy assessment, condition optimisation, route enhancement and ship performance. He said the consortium was running trials of the Sea-Cores platform for the British Royal Navy and on commercial ships. He added: “We are looking at improving vessel efficiency and changing operations, using condition-based maintenance, fuel consumption and emissions data. Around 60 KPIs have been developed.”
Classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) has acquired maintenance optimisation services that use a cloud-based databank. LR acquired UK company RTAMO (Real Time Adaptive Maintenance Optimisation) to offer real-time maintenance management solutions to shipping and offshore. RTAMO has developed data-driven solutions to reduce maintenance costs for asset owners. It claims to have lowered maintenance costs on offshore facilities by 30 per cent by using its optimisation services. This has been achieved on more than 20 offshore facilities operated by Maersk Oil, BG Group, Shell and Centrica.
It uses condition monitoring and preventative maintenance plans, said LR strategic project director Murray Douglas: “Using this software-enabled service to manage our customers’ maintenance burden will significantly reduce costs while demonstrating safe and responsible operations.”
The cloud-based technology will enable this solution to be made available globally to LR’s clients. “Our methodology and software support all phases of asset life – design, operation, tail-end life and decommissioning,” said Neil Arthur, head of RTAMO at LR. He continued: “It is also evidence-based, which has an advantage over conventional maintenance planning. It is sensitive to commercial factors such as commodity price, time to failure and cost of planned versus corrective maintenance.”
According to LR chief technology officer Nial McCollam, the software so far used in offshore oil and gas installations would be applicable to other high risk, capital intensive industries, such as shipping and offshore renewables. He added: “This is an important step in building global software solutions that create value for our customers. We are bringing together all of LR’s existing commercial software activities to provide a suite of integrated solutions.”
LR is also developing other data services. “Our global technology and innovation team is also developing a range of innovative data and digital solutions, such as remote presence inspections, cyber security and asset lifecycle management services,” said Mr McCollam. LR is developing an online-based, condition based maintenance program, which is being tested on naval ships. LR strategic manager for technology and innovation Joseph Morelos said the Cyber Condition Based Maintenance (Cyber CBM) program can be used for analysing the condition and performance of critical components in real-time. It also helps lower lifecycle costs as equipment can remain well maintained.
Cyber CBM includes the onboard sensors and instruments, cloud-based data access and data analytics. “We can include lubricant analysis, thermography, vibration analysis, acoustics measurements and other monitoring techniques,” said Mr Morelos. “We are developing the data analytics, piloting this on naval ships and looking for commercial shipping applications,” he added.
Docmap uses cloud technology for the latest version of its fleet management software Docmap 8. This suite of software includes a task manager, incident reporting and document management functions. It also has a module for corporate quality, health, safety and environmental management. According to sales manager Adiam Negassie, these are all accessible through online portals to a cloud-based database. Docmap 8 also has a bidirectional data link that automatically synchronises data on vessels and in onshore offices over satellite connectivity. This can be done through automated e-mails or using a file transfer protocol with high data compression to minimise bandwidth use.
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