ABS issued guidance providing the marine and offshore industries an actionable framework for owners, operators and equipment manufacturers to take smart steps today in preparation for an environmentally sustainable future. The ‘ABS Guidance Notes on Smart Function Implementation’ support data infrastructure development, enabling health and performance monitoring, and augmenting vessel operations leading to more informed decisions in support of fast-moving environmental requirements.
Spurred by increases in connectivity, sensors and data processing, the marine and offshore industries continue to evolve digitally at a very rapid rate while facing increased regulatory challenges…We created this guidance to provide industry with a goal-based approach framed around increased asset health awareness, vessel performance optimization and crew assistance and augmentation, all of which when approached in a smart manner lead to industry sustainability,
…said ABS Chairman, President and CEO, Christopher J. Wiernicki.
The ABS vision for Smart Function implementation is the enablement of improved decision making by all stakeholders, including both crew and shore-based personnel, to better manage vessel operations in the fulfillment of the vessel’s mission.
By implementing smart monitoring, vessel and operational data can be leveraged to assist and augment day-to-day operations, forming the foundation for autonomous operation. This shifts the burden from crews onboard reporting anomalies, to integrated systems that can identify and help resolve problems, moving decisions from ship to shore.
The following goals have been defined for Smart Function implementation:
- Increase health state awareness in order to enhance safety and asset integrity and to minimize downtime associated with failures and maintenance, via a comprehensive data-driven approach.
- Operate the vessel optimally to maximize asset efficiency and operational performance in order to reduce fuel consumption, emissions and Operational Expenses (OPEX).
- Assist and augment crew with vessel operations related to navigation bridge management/practices and compliance reporting in order to:
-Enhance vessel situational awareness and navigation safety
-Reduce crew workload burden and reporting errors
-Reduce potential for human error related incidents
Smart Functions should be implemented in a secure manner without decreasing the vessel’s safety and operability. The implementation of Smart Functions in pursuit of the above goals should not adversely affect the vessel’s primary functions and core system operations.
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