Our experience has been that the crew has been very motivated to participate in the project, and that the problems we have had with skills to operate the systems are not greater than we had expected.
Data quality for integrated analysis functions
When data in an instrumentation system is being used in new ways, often additional quality requirements must be fulfilled. In our project, the new use of data is to integrate data from several sources, and use then in composite calculations and analyses. In free standing systems, each instrument can "play with its own voice", without too much concern about what the others are doing.
When data from several systems are used in integrated analyses, the sources must have mutual consistency, the "whole orchestra" must be tuned, so that it plays in harmony. Absolute accuracy and integrated calibration are then issues on the agenda.
What is the added value?
For all shipowners considering adopting new technology, the question at the top of the list is "What is my added value compared to the costs incurred?"
The potentials to derive added value from this technology seems promising in many areas, some examples are:
・ Improved maintenance process
- improved control of spares stocks
- improved efficiency in prioritizing maintenance resources
- improved ability to learn from own and other's maintenance experience
- improved possibility to follow up the condition of the ship from the office
・ Extended co-operation with manufacturers, based on more extensive insight into how their equipment is operated.
・ Simplified class inspections through delivery of measurement data, and the class society's closer insight into the ship operation. The main engine system is subject to testing of this concept on the pilot ships.
・ More efficient systems for reporting to authorities and other external organizations.
・ Purchasing systems based on electronic transactions.
・ Improved time and fuel efficiency through an improved process for voyage planning, execution and follow up.
・ Services related to cargo operations, cargo condition, and other information related to cargo services which may provide added value to the cargo customer.
The difficult part is the integration in the existing organization, training of the personnel and change of working procedures. Shipowning companies seem to think they are quite different from the others, so a common solution for the systems is not possible at the moment. The difference in ship type and trade will of course have an impact on these factors.
New classification society regulation
Use of IT includes automatically recorded condition and performance status of critical systems and components. These functions, in combination with standard reporting and Maintenance Management reporting, have become increasingly useful for trend analyses and for documentation to external parties like the port authorities and classification societies. The benefits include a more systematically recorded status of the machinery for use both to class and the shipowner, decreased number of physical inspections and reduced number of "opening up" inspections on equipment. Tests made by the classification societies show promising results and will improve business relationships and reduce costs for the shipping company in the future. Important aspects are that most of the shipowners have ships in different classification societies, which leads to an increased need for standardization of information exchange from ships to the different classes. This standardization work has been coordinated through EMSA3, fig.4.
Extended supplier services
The involvement of the suppliers of equipment can be supportive in inspection, overhaul, maintenance work. This involvement normally begins on complex systems, but can be extended to a large number of other systems and components. This activity will require an "extended supplier" agreement and must be based on a "win - win" principle, beneficial for both parties in the long run.
One area for improving the quality of the delivery from the suppliers will be system documentation.
Interactive electronic documentation
The traditional paper based technical manuals and documentation of ship systems have varied widely and are often of poor quality. One step in the direction of improving this situation is to start producing this documentation in a more standard electronic format. This in itself will not improve the manual unless work is done to design a structure that is easy to implement in an integrated solution for practical use on board the ship. These practical applications shows the structure of the documentation. These are made by manufacturer of equipment in an electronic form (figure 5), using the SGML4 and XML5 standard with the Document Type Definition (DTD6) from the Norwegian project "IT in Ship Operation7". Integration occurs between this database, as shown in figure 6 and the Maintenance Management System. The chief engineer or the mechanical engineer can from the Maintenance Task Procedure, link up to the actual description of the system which includes spare parts requirements, troubleshooting, instructions for assembling the equipment and guidelines for operation and repair.
3EMSA - European Maritime Step Association
4SGML - ISO 8879 - Standard General Markup Language
5XML - See www.w3c.org
6DTD - ISO - Document Type Definition
7IT in Ship Operation Programme - Norwegian R&D programme 1994-98.
