Digital Playbook for Fleet Management.

Commercial vessels are complex systems that generate and need utilization of the use of big data to increase maximum efficiency. Successful utilization of sensors and IoT and AI in the industry requires a digital approach to leverage the benefits of Industry 4.0 in a more detailed manner. In order to develop value from the vessels every voyage and every maintenance it undergoes, we introduce a digital approach for creating a Digital playbook for your fleet management.

Digitalization in the maritime industry is driving a need of connected systems and IoT which can be leveraged to create Digital Playbook the next big thing that is disrupting marine operations.

Many Fleet management companies are in the process of adopting a collaborative platform to improve the lifecycle of vessels that can leverage the connected vessels capabilities of digital playbook. Simplifying the operations and delivery for greater performance, lowering the ownership cost, increasing safety and security, by having a reliable cyber secured connection. Below are a few points to consider while planning the Digital Playbook experience for the ship owners, operators and charters.

The automated incorporation of real data into decision making

The adoption and implementation of connected technologies for monitoring, managing and control of vessel operations

A digital playbook is an integration, adoption and use of technology, that will allow owners, operators and charters to monitor the real-time performance of the fleet. Digital Playbook is a customizable cloud-based platform that can highlight and track the real-time performance of the vessel. The fleet operator can easily monitor the performance of the entire fleet at any given time without having to wait for the inputs from the Superintendents or Vessel noon reports, in a single login.

Digital playbook captures data from Vessel Machinery, IoT sensors, multiplexers and provides the same to shore team in form of customized Dashboards, Analytics, Alarms, Alerts and Advisory. Leveraging data using AI and ML can deliver great value immense information that requires a lot of human efforts and intelligence. It also understands and creates a uniform source of information for the organization. Digital playbook becoming the only platform the owners, superintendents, managers lookout for the information they need. This data-driven approach makes it easy for addressing the challenges that occurred during the sailing.

The digital playbook offers various modules and solutions for asset management and has a wide window of customization offered to choose from as per the need and demand of the Owner, operator, charter.

1. Situational Awareness:

During any voyage of the vessel, it is important for the superintendents or the shore team to keep an eye on the vessel to know exactly what is happening on the ship. The shore team is mostly dependent on the noon reports. Digital playbook allows them to connect with the vessel and have on-demand awareness of any parameter they want to have a look into, below are a few such examples where the superintendent can have a glance any time he wants and the data can be stored for months.

Navigation and Weather:

Digital playbook creates a dedicated dashboard which makes it easy for them to monitor multiple vessels at a glance. Having navigation and weather update is one of the keys to monitoring for the shore team to understand if the vessel is following the course charted. This also helps them in knowing the best possible route taken to reach the destination. Calculating the weather and informing the captain to change the course if the weather condition worsens, it is basically helping them to take action based on the situation coming in. Digital playbook is capable of holding all the data with a time stamp which can come in handy for measuring KPI’s and setting the performance standards.

Machinery Performance:

Digital playbook comes in handy to tap in machine data, which allows the shore team to coordinate with the chief engineer on board and take collective decisions to improve the performance of the ME, AE, Boilers, scrubbers and pumps. All the machine data can be collated together and can be used to correlate each other’s performance and also know the wear and tear based on the usage/running hrs.

Energy and Emission Monitoring:

These days when every shipowner is keen on knowing the energy utilization and the emissions to comply with industry standards, the digital playbook for asset management comes in handy for them. One can monitor the real-time fuel consumption, compare with noon reports, average out daily consumption. Relate the fuel consumption to weather, machinery, engine performance etc. Emission complying becomes stricter each passing year with IMO’s new regulation and stricter environmental policies. It is essential for the shore team to keep their eye on the emission and keep getting real-time alerts about it. This can also create alarms and know if the vessel entering has switched fuels before entering the SECA zones.

2. Condition-based Monitoring

The Performance Monitoring System is computerized and needs little attention after set up. The operator dashboard showing the collected data can be then processed through algorithms and create a model of ship performance using collective data from the main engine, aux engine, DG, and other machinery. Shipowners can set KPI as required and can create and visualize the performance spending less time in collecting operating equipment data and collating, as the system would do it directly on behalf, which means the operators and the managers have more time for improving the current operational status of the vessel Improved Forecasting can be most precise forecasting, it definitely requires a massive quantity of data to observe and analyze. Thanks to IoT integration, a vast amount of real-time data and consumption information can be captured and directly sent to the cloud and to all concerned. Ship Managers and operators can recognize exactly when and where the problem arises and the root cause, the system is well capable of giving out an advisory on the alarms or alerts raised. All of this helps them make better forecasting of the purchasing trend for their spares and machineries and plan the maintenance schedules.

Predictive Diagnostic  Predictive diagnostics: Live data from ME, AE, DG, Boilers with historical data such as noon reports and sea trial brings in live conditions on machines running on the vessels. These data sets are continuously monitored to get the optimum results using machine learning and algorithms models. This brings in actionable intelligence about the condition of machinery and spares related to it which is further supported by an advisory modeling system. Owners and operators can take decisions supported by the system. With live data being continuously monitored from sailing vessels the fleet manager can be always at support from shore to the crew sailing by providing the routing option based on the weather conditions on the voyage. Weather conditions on the route are monitored and optimized by the computerized model and predicting the route course and giving the optimum sailing option to save fuel consumption and make the sailing smooth and operational efficient

3. Remote Video-based Inspection/Maintenance and Health Care:

Digital playbook comes in handy with all monitoring and tracking the assets performance, health and other related questions, one undergoes during the vessel’s voyage. One of the most common problems operators and managers say they need a video connection to connect with the crew in an emergency. This need has seen rise during the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus when it was difficult to inspect the vessel,  make engineers visit possible for maintenance-related issues and also monitor the health of the crew.

With Remote video access to shipping the shore team connect and get multiple things done at ease. They can monitor the vessels, crew health and do minor maintenance activities without the engineer visiting the ship. Remote Video-based support on a number of day-to-day actions is helping the owner with cost savings and improved coordination across operations.

4. Reports & Analytics:   

Reports and analytics for vessel/voyage performance can be maintained on single dashboard. This digital playbook acts as a single source of truth for the operator in managing their fleet. Reports like fuel consumption, engine performance, and analytics. Reports based on live data and reports from vessels are studied and can have comparative study. Analytics can help to evaluate and predict various performance parameters, know emissions and also have predictive diagnostics based on the analytics.

Digital playbook, an asset that every ship operating company can look at for their fleet management in a promising way to monitor and enhance Fleet Performance.  Smart Ship Hub can work with you for setting up a dedicated digital wall for your fleet.