Feature 5 | ELECTRICAL AND NAVIGATION SYSTEM REPAIRS AND REFITS
Jeppesen aims to streamline upgrade process
Jeppesen Marine has taken steps to facilitate retrofit enhancements to its Vessel Voyage Optimisation Soſtware (VVOS).
U
pgrading navigation-related equipment and software on commercial ships is no trivial
matter. Typically, such upgrades must be installed during short port calls, and in many cases without the support of a ship’s IT technician. Te upgrade cannot interfere with any other soſtware already installed on the ship, as if it does, a ship’s scheduled departure can be delayed. In recent months, Jeppesen Marine has
rolled out the newest version of VVOS, a shipboard route planning and optimisation product. Phil Ballou, Jeppesen’s head of engineering, marine professional services, says: “Customers who received this upgrade were running a wide variety of earlier versions of VVOS, some which were 10 or more years old. To address this, we needed to assemble a comprehensive and fully tested VVOS Upgrade Kit, which included all the materials and documentation needed to cover the wide range of upgrade scenarios that may be encountered.” This kit includes a quick installation
card for upgrades from recent versions, a comprehensive installer guide to cover a broader range of upgrades from earlier versions, as well as a new user guide, tutorial, video training DVDs and the installation discs themselves. Te entire kit is contained in a custom binder for storage and future reference. “Because our products provide the captain and officers with important decision support tools, and computer failures and/or replacements may occur at any time, we recommend that at least one complete kit be carried on each ship in case reinstallation is necessary in a distant port or while at sea,” says Ballou. Jeppesen also points out that as ship
bunker fuel has reached an all-time high of around US$800 per metric tonne, even small improvements in energy efficiency can provide an attractive Return on Investment (ROI). Over time, ships normally suffer degraded energy efficiency and performance due
46
to hull and propeller roughness degraded engine state of tune, failure of electronic sensors, and mechanical wear-and-tear. To address this issue Jeppesen is now offering a number of products, including VVOS and Fleet Manager that can detect and quantify these trends, and provide alerts to ship operators and managers when unscheduled maintenance would be cost-effective. Ballou says: “Our service engineering
“Jeppesen also points out that as ship bunker fuel has reached an all- time high of around US$800 per metric tonne, even small improvements in energy efficiency can provide an attractive Return on Investment.”
team can analyse performance trends and provide alerts and recommendations on when and how to improve energy efficiency using this technology.” With regard to upgrade options for
existing ships, various Jeppesen products are designed to provide improved operating safety and efficiency, and reduce hazardous conditions that can cause expensive damage. “The onboard VVOS route optimisation soſtware may be used to plan and execute routes with improved safety, fuel efficiency, and on-time arrival performance,” says Ballou. “Tis can be supplemented with the round-the-clock shore-side route advisory
support provided by the marine professional services group.” Accurate communication of shipboard
logistics and operational data is facilitated by Jeppesen’s eLog product, which provides a link between ship and shore through a standardised format that includes field validation and comprehensive error-checking. Tis information may then be imported directly into Fleet Manager, a web-based tool that provides shore-based fleet managers with an overview of its fleet operations, provides alerts for any ships operating outside predefined thresholds, and allows in-depth investigation of specific operating details for each vessel in the fleet. Two upcoming new requirements
mandated by IMO can be satisfied by retrofitting Jeppesen technologies, the company points out. One is the mandatory Electronic Chart and Display System (ECDIS), which requires all large passenger, tanker, and cargo ships to fit an ECDIS on a rolling timetable beginning in July 2012. The Jeppesen-PRIMAR ECDIS Service offers extensive coverage using official ENCs, supplemented by PRIMAR and C-MAP Professional+ charts where ENCs are not available. “Tis solution provides the industry with a smart, incremental approach to meeting ECDIS requirements, while offering a practical solution to the fact that official ENCs are not available yet for all waters and commercial ports around the world,” adds Ballou. The other regulatory requirement is the
IMO’s mandate to implement a Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) and Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) - a carbon emission measurement method for new ships- by January 2013. Coupled with this is the Energy Efficiency Operating Index, which may be used to monitor carbon emissions for existing ships. Jeppesen is now offering the shipping industry integrated soſtware solutions, supplemented with optional hardware including more rugged workstations and specialised sensors, to satisfy these requirements. SRCT
Shiprepair and Conversion Technology 2nd Quarter 2012
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56