A new memorandum of understanding signed between Inmarsat and Samsung Heavy Industries hints at a future where shipbuilders take more interest in the lifecycle of their products.
The Korean shipyard has signed an agreement with the UK-based satellite service provider to utilise Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress service to cover remote machine diagnostics and other services in newbuildings in a new service that it is calling Smart Ship.
Fleet Xpress is the service created by Inmarsat that combines F-band with new Ka-band service that was launched with the latest generation of satellites, Global Xpress, the company put into orbit.
The move by Samsung signals a potentially significant shift in how shipyards relate to their products post delivery.
With many shipbuilding contracts, owners will, following sea-trials and the final payment be covered by a guarantee only a year in length. With the recent upheaval in shipbuilding as orders plummeted, yards have been hit hard and been seeking new ways to retain contracts.
This is a new kind of service where a yard will have a significant interest in the tonnage following delivery, with SMI using bandwidth that Inmarsat has set aside for what it is calling certified application providers.
This development could see yards vying with engine makers and other technology firms that are seeking to get vessel data and use after-sales service as a significant as a revenue stream.
CPAs represent a new customer base for Inmarsat as it maximises the growing interest and value of taking engine, hull and other data from ships to help improve performance and maintenance.
In a press statement Ronald Spithout, Inmarsat Maritime President said the agreement with SHI represents a new chapter in the story of smart shipping and the connected vessel.
“The Fleet Xpress service allows SHI to build-in new levels of vessel efficiency” he is quoted as saying. “This agreement demonstrates that the most forward-looking shipbuilders recognise collaboration as the key to shipping’s exploitation of the Internet of Things. It is also further evidence that Inmarsat
and its partners are driving shipping towards value-added applications that are set to digitalise the industry and modes of operation.”
As one of the major shipbuilders in South Korea, SMI has built a number of high value and complex units including drill ships, LNG carriers, FPSO’s and some of the largest containerships.
Dr. Booki Kim, Director of Central Research Institute, at Samsung Heavy Industries said in the press statement that ships of today demand intelligent solutions to cover remote operational management and equipment monitoring. They also need continuous lifecycle services to extend their life.
The full press release from Inmarsat can be read here
Fathom-news.com
