The American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) has awarded the SMART (MHM) notation to a GasLog liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier, making it the first commercial vessel in the world to receive the notation in combination with the ABS Preventative Maintenance Programme (PMP).
The SMART (MHM) notation, governed by the ABS Guide for Smart Functions for Marine Vessels and Offshore Units, confirms that the vessel features a permanently installed system capable of Machinery Health Monitoring (MHM), able to monitor the health and operational conditions of onboard machinery, detect anomalies, and predict degradation or improper operation that could lead to functional failure.
The project was developed in collaboration with maritime technology company Propulsion Analytics, whose technology supports the onboard machinery health monitoring capabilities of the vessel.
“GasLog is demonstrating that machinery health monitoring at this level can deliver meaningful operational benefits including enhanced predictive maintenance capability and improved machinery reliability,” said Patrick Ryan, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at ABS.
The digital infrastructure combines an engine performance platform with thermodynamic digital twins built on high-frequency data telemetry from Kongsberg Vessel Insight. The architecture further integrates lubrication, chemical, live vibration, and planned maintenance system data to deliver condition-based maintenance (CBM).
“Our Class-Approved Engine Condition-Based Maintenance schemes are built on a tailor-made platform developed by Propulsion Analytics, combining their advanced thermodynamic digital twins built on high-frequency data telemetry from Kongsberg Vessel Insight,” said Lampros Nikolopoulos, Asset Integrity Manager at GasLog.
“The system further integrates lubrication, chemical, live vibration, and Planned Maintenance System data to deliver a truly holistic CBM architecture. ABS played a pivotal role in the design implementation of the platform through its comprehensive Rules framework and technical guidance.”
“Apart from intelligent interventions on engine components, the scheme optimises overhaul intervals, total cost of ownership, operational flexibility, and fleet CO₂e performance for all engines of our fleet.”
The implementation follows a four-year collaboration between the companies to bring engine condition-based maintenance from concept to class-approved reality onboard LNG carriers.
“Together, we have developed and deployed the DiEM platform – a robust machinery health monitoring solution. DiEM combines Propulsion Analytics’ Engine Hyper Cube solution, which has received an ABS SMART PDA, with complementary condition assessment methods,” said Panos Kyrtatos, Chief Executive Officer at Propulsion Analytics.
“The result is earlier detection of engine degradation, reduced unnecessary maintenance, and measurable savings in spare parts and service costs, while significantly improving machinery reliability and performance.”
