Japanese company Asahi Kasei Engineering has announced the launch of its new V-MO offering in Europe, a cloud-based service for the predictive maintenance of ocean vessel motors.
The technology will be showcased at the upcoming SMM tradeshow in Hamburg, Germany, to demonstrate how the system can contribute to reduced downtime for oceangoing vessels.
Asahi Kasei developed the service in collaboration with compatriot shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), with the aim of detecting signs of abnormalities in motors on ocean vessels.
When a potential failure is predicted, repairs can be arranged before the vessel arrives at port. Based on the data provided, repairs can be carried out more quickly when the vessel arrives, contributing to faster maintenance and reduced downtime, the company says.
By automatically collecting and analysing data from vibration sensors installed in a ship’s motors, the system is designed to provide continuous condition monitoring and to identify irregularities without the need for specialised knowledge.
The measured data is sent to the cloud to allow the condition of the motors to be monitored from onshore using systems incorporating Asahi Kasei’s vibration diagnosis technology.
The V-MO service was launched in May 2023, with MOL Ship Management Singapore agreeing to install the system on its container vessels in April 2024.
