FEATURE Maintenance
Expect the unexpected Expect the unexpected
O
perating a marine geotechnical vessel often feels like playing a game of ‘whack-a-mole’: challenges
and issues can pop up seemingly at random, each one a potential disruption to the operation. In marine construction and other
downtime can be a costly setback. Every hour of standdown impacts budgets and Implementing proactive measures can help contractors and vessel operators minimise risks and prevent costly delays. By reducing downtime and enabling more competitive tenders, the investment in these measures can pay for itself many times over. A critical failure of equipment
requiring a round trip to port for commissioning and repairs might take ten days depending on site location. Considering that the day rate of the vessel and suite of geotechnical equipment can run into the hundreds of thousands of pounds, this clearly demonstrates the steep price of poor risk management. Could this cost be forecasted, avoided and spent elsewhere? ultimately, the way to avoid unplanned downtime is to have already prepared for
Left: An automated tool handler Below: An iron roughneck
manual input from crew with automated solutions can help contractors avoid their bids being thrown out early.
manual tongs”. Here, a contractor could comply by automating the process – using an iron roughneck to remotely torque the drill string connections in place of manual tongs. Similarly, a practical solution for clients that an automated tool handler that can be bolted in place in hours with no hot works and enables tooling to be managed remotely on deck.
and be prepared for it and be prepared for it
incidents are inevitable when working be minimised.
preventative maintenance can help – naturally, preparation should include critical spares and a contingency fund. But being proactive For instance, involving engineering as early as possible to ‘design out’ or reduce risk through bespoke designs considerate of tailored maintenance roadmap, identifying an installation’s ‘Achilles heel’ and focussing on unique needs. Start by reviewing a vessel’s equipment, assessing its condition and criticality and developing a Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) schedule that prioritises the highest-risk components. This PPM approach allows for a sliding scale of budgeting, where resources are allocated based on equipment’s current condition and potential breakdown risk. Ideally, there will be space in the budget to not only maintain but proactively upgrade the vessel’s equipment. This is where additional operational risks can be minimised before they occur.
When it comes to safety, a tender must often meet increasingly stringent safety standards to even be considered by a client. Replacing
34 March 2025 | Automation
By using automation to reduce the risk likely, creating a long-term return on these investments. However, while equipment upgrades are downtime, they must be integrated into the vessel’s operations without causing subsequent delays. Importantly, commissioning a new system must not disrupt a normal mobilisation added risk of failure.
Likewise, upgrades should avoid introducing steep learning curves for crews. A competent, downtime and sudden technological shifts can be overwhelming, negatively impacting solutions should be simple and intuitive, and the best automated solutions will be designed with this in mind. Proactively investing in downtime prevention
through targeted maintenance and strategic upgrades protects budgets and builds a reliable reputation. Contractors with strong track records of reliability and clear HSE metrics win more work, as clients value dependability over
MintMech
www.mintmech.com
automationmagazine.co.uk
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