Text and photo by Applied Satellite Technology (AST).
AST has announced a new order of 9 iRAMS systems with a long-term client and UK boat-builder, Goodchild Marine Services Limited.The Norfolk boat-builder, in business for more than 40 years, has been building the ORC range of modern, fuel-efficient pilot boats since 2012, and in service at ports throughout the UK and Ireland.
In a new deal worth a reported £9 million, Goodchild Marine Services will supply 9 ORC fast pilot vessels inclusive of engine telemetry, into British ports from a design by French naval architects Pantocarene.
With iRAMS installed, engineering and operational teams can read engine data remotely, 24 hours-a-day. Near real-time performance metrics will allow boat operators, shoreside to view engine parameters, receive email alerts, and compare fleet vessels against each other enabling more efficient vessel maintenance and management.
Access to the engine data empowers customers to carry out preventative maintenance and spot issues early. With iRAMS installed, customers can view a vessel’s journey in real-time. Operational teams can set up geo-fences and be notified when a vessel enters or exits the port. Recent and historic reports can be downloaded, easily and all this information is available via an online iRAMS portal.
The easy-to-use portal allows users to view and share engine data in a host of different ways:
- Monitor engine data points including temperature, pressure, boost, CO² levels, fuel consumption, and more.
- Configure engine performance parameters that trigger email alerts when thresholds are exceeded.
- View engine data in tables and charts and download as .CSV and .PDF.
- Schedule the automated creation and sharing of data reports by email.
Stephen Pierce, General Manager at Goodchild Marine Services said:
"We are very pleased to be building 9 more vessels incorporating AST’s iRAMS. Our customers want the benefits of new technology and iRAMS is a ground-breaking vessel engine and asset management system. Integration with AST PMS means increased automation that drives down costs and reduces the environmental impact of running our vessels.
AST Marine Sciences, MD, David Davies added:
"Port authorities invest millions into pilot vessels and pilot service operations. iRAMS enhances these services and reduces operational risk by harnessing accurate engine vessel data. With this data in hand, businesses can make intelligent decisions about how vessels are operated and maintained and ultimately, save time and money.”
