Solvang and Wärtsilä to collaborate on digitally driving operational excellence using OPERIM

The technology group Wärtsilä has signed an agreement to provide Norwegian shipping company Solvang with its digital Operational Performance Improvement & Monitoring (OPERIM) solution to support the operational efficiency of the Solvang fleet. The 5-year agreement was signed in December 2020 and took effect on 1 January 2021. 

Under the agreement, Solvang will have access to Wärtsilä’s OPERIM technology. This includes the OPERIM cloud application, as well as support from Wärtsilä experts on realising performance opportunities in line with Solvang’s continuous improvement initiative. 

OPERIM is a cloud-based solution containing a digital twin model of the gas cargo handling systems, which enables it to report KPIs and to benchmark best-in-class performance within the fleet. These data insights are available for use by both the crew and onshore teams, and are central to supporting performance improvements needed to achieve optimal efficiency. The system also allows operational adjustments to be made as operating conditions change. The same data also provides valuable feedback to the crew to allow them to improve their operational routines.

The first phase of the agreement will comprise OPERIM being rolled out to 15 Solvang LPG/Ethylene carriers fitted with Wärtsilä cargo handling systems. Monthly fleet management meetings will be held to review the data produced, and to agree on improvement actions. The development of crew competences will also be highlighted. During the second phase of the agreement, OPERIM will be made available to an additional 12 vessels in the Solvang fleet (LPG / Ethylene carriers).

“Lifecycle support to our customers’ installations is a central pillar in the strategy of Wärtsilä Gas Solutions. This agreement marks a step change in our customer offering by combining input from our service experts with our digital solution to deliver a digitally-enabled lifecycle service. This allows us to ensure the products, systems, and solutions that we deliver are properly maintained, and that their reliability and performance are at the optimal level for our customers,” commented Nicholas Martin, Director Digital Offering, Gas Solutions. 

“Wärtsilä’s digitally-enabled service provides transparency and valuable insights to our operations. The agreement allows us to use Wärtsilä’s OPERIM solution, but goes further by engaging experts from both sides to work collaboratively to find the best solutions for our business, whether it be in operator usage, operational routines, or the plant performance. We have created a collaborative approach to operational improvements,” responded Solvang’s Fleet Director Tor Øyvind Ask.

Wärtsilä has a long-standing relationship with Solvang, and has supplied multiple products for their fleet.

Wärtsilä Gas Solutions is a market leader with innovative systems and lifecycle solutions for the gas value chain. Our main focus areas are handling of gas in seaborne transport (storage, fuel, transfer and BOG management), gas to power, liquefaction and biogas solutions. We help our customers on the journey towards a sustainable future through focus on lifecycle, innovation and digitalisation.

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Image caption: Under the agreement, eventually 27 ships in the Solvang fleet will benefit from operational improvements made possible by Wärtsilä’s OPERIM solution. © Solvang

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