What is a Planned Maintenance System (PMS)?
Similar to any other form of vehicular transportation, vessels aren’t foolproof. Be it the largest cargo fleet in the world or a smaller ship, risks are aplenty if there is either a single component failure or a complete breakdown of any critical mechanical system.
Ship maintenance management is a proven strategy that can help reduce the odds of unexpected repairs while making ships more reliable. It also helps improve maritime cost efficiency and enhance onboard crew safety.
A Planned Maintenance System (PMS) is software that helps with the proactive scheduling and performance of various service procedures. Shipping organisations with a well-designed maintenance plan have better visibility of when future service will be needed, the required tools and parts for the task, and the best means of completing the job. It acts as a comprehensive to-do guide that deals with the how, when, and what of vehicle repairs and servicing.
Besides helping make maritime fleet management more efficient, PMS also aids in operational cost optimization by allowing vessel owners to know exactly when maintenance checks and inspections are needed.
With well-maintained ships at your disposal, you are less likely to encounter unwanted breakdowns or other operational hazards during a voyage. This allows you to operate in accordance with your schedule, which further translates into a more profitable business venture.
In this blog, we take a look at the critical role of PMS in reducing operational costs for shipping companies and how software such as Shipmate is renowned for offering the best ship management solutions.
How Does PMS Work?
With the help of a Planned Maintenance System, ship operators and vessel owners can better plan, document, and perform their vessel maintenance activities at specified intervals that are in line with manufacturer requirements. This ensures safe and reliable operations along with equipment safety while also taking care of the compliance requirements as defined by global maritime regulations.
Depending on the size and complexity of the shipping company in question and the type of vessel under operation, there could be different approaches to planning your maintenance program. Nevertheless, a systematic approach to fleet operational strategies along with comprehensive risk assessment is crucial, and starts with establishing a complete database of machinery, fittings, and equipment present onboard the vessel.
Types of Maintenance In PMS
Planned maintenance represents a proactive maintenance strategy for keeping the operational machinery onboard a ship running smoothly. The process requires careful planning, documentation, and scheduling of all possible maintenance tasks that can help improve asset performance and extend its lifetime. The wear and tear of all operational assets is a given and cannot be prevented.
However, using a Planned Maintenance System such as Shipmate PMS helps reduce downtime in vessels and ensures efficient operation throughout the asset’s lifecycle.
A maintenance plan can be broadly classified into two types: preventive and predictive maintenance. Preventive maintenance is a technique where previous performance is studied to determine a suitable interval at which an asset should be maintained. As soon as the due date for the scheduled activity approaches, an automated work order is generated, and the crew initiates the necessary maintenance actions.
In the case of predictive maintenance, this is designed to drive improved ship performance through continuous monitoring of asset conditions by leveraging data collected from the many onboard sensors and analysing them to detect possible patterns which could indicate potential failures. This is a suitable approach for high-value assets such as ships where any unexpected downtime could lead to significant operational disruptions and financial losses for the companies.
What Benefits Do PMS Offer in Shipping
Having efficient PMS software onboard your fleet of vessels offers numerous benefits, some of which are described below.
Optimised vessel utilisation
One of the foremost advantages of a good PMS software such as Shipmate is that it allows maritime logistics optimization so that you can obtain an optimum level of performance out of your vessels. An effective PMS implementation ensures there is no unexpected vessel downtime, all equipment onboard is well-monitored for safe operations, and your company can minimise unwanted losses while earning healthy profits from the business. A good PMS software is one that has a proven track record of providing accurate results and has been certified by a globally recognized statutory body.
Regular task planning feels like a breeze
With the help of PMS software, you can plan, manage, and structure the regular onboard tasks electronically. Depending on your chosen maintenance scheme, certain predefined rules aid in automatic job creations, and a separate interface eases the process of job planning.
Improved inventory management
Another benefit of such data-driven maintenance systems is that they also take care of your inventory management. Several of these software come with an additional inventory management module, increasing its overall effectiveness and functionality. On board every vessel, a stock of critical spare parts needs to be efficiently tracked and utilised. Having an inventory management module prepared to be in sync with the vessel’s requirements allows optimum space utilisation and is one of the popular cost-saving techniques in shipping.
Better safety standards
If your ship is not in top shape, it can be a hazard to the crew members and to onboard ship equipment. A critical part of vessel maintenance involves protecting the crew and all critical equipment on the vessel, as faulty equipment, has been known to cause unwanted hazards and injuries to ship personnel. A proper and well-planned maintenance schedule reduces equipment failure and ensures that your vessel is at low risk of experiencing unexpected incidents.
Cost Saving Opportunities Provided By PMS
From the perspective of underlying mechanics, boats and ships are no different from land vehicles such as trucks and cars. They all feature complex drivetrains and ancillary systems vital to ensuring their proper operations. Just as you would service your vehicle at regular intervals, you must do the same with your vessel to have a firmer grip on fleet operational cost control.
With an effective preventive maintenance plan, you can lower the probability of having to carry out unexpected repairs, resulting in lower downtime and reduced operational costs, among other benefits.
Sometimes, the smallest issues can snowball into something more complicated and expensive if left untreated. One classic example is hull cleaning. When this routine maintenance activity is not undertaken, it can create considerable drag on the ship, resulting in poor fuel economy and operating performance.
The additional strain on the mechanical components can lead to systemic failure in some extreme cases. As a result, you will incur a significantly higher expense for all out repairs. The routine maintenance activities may seem like pointless additional expenditures at times, but the long-term cost savings in shipping they have to offer weigh greater.
Simply put, preventive maintenance can act as great insurance against unwanted and unexpected downtime for your vessel, which can be frustrating and expensive.
Each day that a ship spends out-of-hire or off-hire duration, you lose out on the considerable profits it could have otherwise generated. Based on the scope and scale of your shipping operations, there could also be ripple effects due to one sidelined vessel. Delayed shipments or deliveries and unhappy customers are not good signs for any business and will likely hurt your profits even further in the long run.
As the old English proverb goes, prevention is better than cure. It is always better to be proactive and conduct inspections and maintenance activities upfront than wait for a major incident to conduct repairs. An automated vessel maintenance plan will save you the hassle of planning a maintenance run every time while you can focus on other critical tasks. Ultimately, you will be rewarded with a reliable vessel that can save you a great deal of time, money, and unwanted headaches in your shipping business.
A well-maintained ship is good for crew morale and safety, making it more reliable and seaworthy. A ship is incomplete without a crew, and to ensure your shipping operations run smoothly, you need to ensure your crew members are motivated to perform to the best of their abilities.
Protecting them against the many occupational hazards onboard shipping vessels is the very least you can do to keep their morale high. Optimum levels of crew performance will ultimately translate to an efficient operation, which also means higher profits for your business, while significant employee churn could damage your reputation and make it progressively expensive to replace outgoing personnel each time.
An Effective PMS Also Helps with Regulatory Compliance
Every ship owner and company engaged in shipping operations must ensure compliance with maritime regulations. Legal guidelines and frameworks have been clearly defined to ensure that every vessel is fit for safe operations at sea. Proper maintenance and upkeep of the most critical safety and operational equipment onboard a ship are important parameters in ensuring compliance with these regulatory guidelines.
Ship operators and builders alike can take measures to ensure the vessels are aligned with the latest international regulatory codes. This can be achieved by regularly verifying the vessel’s working condition and proactively performing required repairs, tests, and other replacement activities where needed.
These efforts may then be documented in a ship maintenance software such as Shipmate, which can be referenced as a central database containing all the records of audit results, service history, and any other documentation necessary for meeting the desired safety and regulatory standards.
The use of PMS software has also now been mandated by the International Safety Management (ISM) Code. By implementing a suitable maintenance plan and reporting strategy that incorporates the requirements as defined in the ISM Code, you will not only have a safer fleet but also one that is on the right side of international maritime laws. This will also help you avoid unwanted fines and other penalties for non-compliance, thus aiding your cost-saving objectives.
PMS And Digitisation in The Shipping Industry – A Peek Into The Future
The COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a catalyst for digitalization in various industries, and the maritime industry was not left far behind. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have transformed the way various logistics companies now operate. With the adoption of technological advancements and a data-driven approach, businesses can now develop accurate predictive modelling, improving maintenance scheduling and reducing the risk of unexpected issues.
In fact, AI has proven to be a game-changer in improving the operational efficiency of shipping vessels. It proactively analyzes data from various sensors to detect signs of possible equipment failure long before it occurs.
Another key benefit of this digitalization of the maritime industry has been its ability to optimise fuel consumption. Fuel expenses constitute one of the major operating expenses for shipping companies. AI algorithms analyse sea currents, vessel performance, and weather conditions on the voyage route and suggest the most fuel-efficient routes. Besides reducing the operating costs of the vessel operators, it is also beneficial to the environment as it helps minimise the vessel’s carbon footprint.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is another significant development in digitalization for the industry, with the introduction of features such as real-time vessel monitoring and the option to collect other important data for better container management and tracking. With the development of smart containers, you can control the ambient conditions inside these shipping containers. This way, you can ensure the contents remain intact and have minimal damage, failing which you could face significant financial and reputational damage in your shipping operations.
Final Words
A planned maintenance system represents an effective method of conducting maintenance activities onboard a ship and guaranteeing its safe operations. Not only does it help automate and optimise vessel maintenance, but it also allows you to save significantly on manpower, resources, and time. A PMS implementation is also a maritime law compliance requirement that will help your shipping business stay on the right side of the regulatory authorities.
An effective PMS can be customised to fit the requirements of every type and size of vessel. So, irrespective of whether you are a shipping company with a multinational presence or merely an operator with a small fleet of vessels, you stand to benefit from the vast range of features on offer from market-leading PMS software such as Shipmate from SBN Tech.
Get in touch today to learn more about our PMS software or to book a free demo to experience the very best of what we offer.