Capitalising on big data is a hot topic within the marine industry, and skilled Data Scientists are perhaps the most sought after professionals in the job market. Hard-core data analysis knowledge materialises at expertise centres, where hundreds of ships sailing on the seas of the world are tracked, monitored and supported. Big data combined with analytics and human expertise results in optimised ship lifecycle efficiency – and better performance for marine industry players.
The technology group Wärtsilä believes in the integration of hardware, software and human intelligence, when developing services for its customers. In its performance-based services, shared targets and a set of performance indicators are jointly agreed with the customer. Wärtsilä then guarantees that these targets are met and the quality of service is maintained throughout the long-term service agreement.
Data Scientists – a dedicated group of highly skilled experts – play a key role in making all this possible. These experts turn data on, for instance, engines’ operating parameters and condition into meaningful insights that support decision making.
“Data Scientists are able to interpret big data for the management of day-to-day operations, optimisation of asset performance and remote troubleshooting. In addition, human expertise plays a crucial role in understanding customers and their evolving business needs,” explains Data Scientist and Team Leader Emanuele Pavan from the Wärtsilä Expertise Centre in Trieste, Italy.
Analytical skills are one of the core competencies in optimising marine operations and enhancing the safety and efficiency of vessels and fleets. Digital technology enables on-site gathering and remote processing of an ever-expanding quantity of real-time data, regardless of where the ship is sailing. Necessary overhauls can be grouped and scheduled to fit into the customers’ business operations. Deviations in equipment performance, emissions and fuel consumption, for instance, trigger Data Scientists to suggest predictive maintenance operations or other proactive improvement activities to customers. Deviations from ideal conditions are dealt with, for instance, by providing virtual technical advisory services.
Proactive action depends on the identification of irregularities and prediction of faults. “To be able to successfully monitor and optimise the performance of vessels and improve the predictability of failures, Data Scientists need hands-on experience in engines and field operations. Thorough knowledge of installations is particularly important when providing remote operational and technical support, as the right analysis and operational advice could reduce the potential production loss of an entire day into less than an hour,” continues Pavan.
Wärtsilä Expertise Centres give customers peace of mind and cost predictability
Trieste is one of Wärtsilä’s ten Expertise Centres located around the world, supporting ship owners and operators to improve their profitability and meet their operational targets through advanced lifecycle solutions. This kind of asset lifecycle optimisation requires teamwork in which operational and maintenance experts, together with Contract Managers, support customers. Currently, Wärtsilä’s Expertise Centres support more than 800 installations around the world.
“To guarantee the operational reliability and availability of assets as well as sustainability, we provide our ship owners and operators with preventive and predictive maintenance planning, including spare parts and maintenance resource coordination. We can improve their profitability through optimised operations and maintenance based on actual equipment condition, and increase the flexibility of ship operations,” says Maintenance Planner Alvise Bianchi from Wärtsilä’s Service Centre in Trieste.
Maintenance Planners work in close cooperation with Data Scientists and other experts as well as the customers to deliver the targeted levels of ship performance. Planners keep the ship owners constantly updated on the performance of vessels and their equipment, and ensure continuous availability of skilled engineers and spare parts. “We have the ability to handle urgent customer requests from remote locations, flexibility in scheduling potential unexpected maintenance needs and guaranteed availability of competent engineers in challenging situations,” Bianchi concludes.
For further information:
Wärtsilä’s Expertise Centres – located in Brazil, Ecuador, Finland, India, Indonesia, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates and USA – provide ship owners and operators with global services in asset lifecycle optimisation.
Link to Wärtsilä Guaranteed asset performance site
Attached infograph: Wärtsilä Lifecycle Solutions
Media contacts:
Fraser Scott
Global Sales Development Director
Wärtsilä Services
fraser.scott@wartsila.com
Tel. +44 (0)7 595 068 474
Hanna Viita
Director, Marketing
Wärtsilä Services
hanna.viita@wartsila.com
Tel: +358 40 167 1755
Wärtsilä Services in brief
Wärtsilä Services provides high-quality lifecycle services that enhance customers’ business. Its broad range of services supports both shipping and power generation companies, whenever and wherever needed. Solutions range from spare parts and basic support to ensuring the maximised lifetime, increased efficiency and guaranteed performance of the customer’s equipment or installation – in a safe, reliable, and environmentally sustainable way.
www.wartsila.com/services
Wärtsilä in brief:
Wärtsilä is a global leader in advanced technologies and complete lifecycle solutions for the marine and energy markets. By emphasising sustainable innovation and total efficiency, Wärtsilä maximises the environmental and economic performance of the vessels and power plants of its customers. In 2016, Wärtsilä's net sales totalled EUR 4.8 billion with approximately 18,000 employees. The company has operations in over 200 locations in more than 70 countries around the world. Wärtsilä is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki, Finland
www.wartsila.com
