Japanese shipping giant Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), via its technology R&D arm Monohakobi Technology Institute (MTI), has signed a deal to run a pilot programme to evaluate Wärtsilä’s Expert Insight predictive maintenance service ahead of a potential roll-out of the system across its entire fleet.
The evaluation will be carried out on two LNG Carrier vessels, the Marvel Falcon and the LNG Sakura, both of which operate with Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines. The pilot programme will evaluate the analytics and support service provided as part of an overall Optimised Maintenance Lifecycle set-up.
Expert Insight leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and diagnostics to monitor equipment and systems in real-time, aiming to spot anomalies and foresee potential problems to enable rapid appropriate reaction. Should anomalous behaviour be detected, it is flagged to specialists at Wärtsilä Expertise Centres, allowing them to proactively look for a resolution to optimise operational performance.
“NYK has already commenced operating an Expert-in-the Loop service at our Remote Diagnostics Centre in Manila. This anomaly detection system oversees the entire engine plant, and we are confident that the complementing expertise from both our companies will result in the best possible support for our vessels,” said Shogo Yamada, Manager, Marine Group, NYK Line.
“By leveraging Big Data and artificial intelligence, the maritime industry can greatly increase its efficiency, safety, and competitiveness, and we are keen to take advantage of this wherever possible. We are excited at the possibilities provided by Wärtsilä’s Expert Insight and look forward to the results from this programme.”
