ClassNK approves SMARTShip digital solution

SMARTShip has been approved as a ‘Computer Based System’ which conforms to the society’s rules governing a product performing ‘Remote Monitoring and Diagnostics’, ‘Situational Awareness’ and ‘Decision Support Systems’, both onboard and ashore.

Captain Rajesh Unni, co-chief executive of AOT and chief executive and founder of Singapore-based ship manager Synergy Group, welcomed the certification. “ClassNK is renowned globally for its exceptional quality,” he said. “Its approval provides quality and reliability assurance for our SMARTShip solutions, especially to Japanese clients but also to our many maritime customers located around the world.

SMARTShip, an Internet of Things platform enabling onboard operation of multiple systems, has already been installed on more than 30 vessels and a further 60 are at various stages of the set-up process.

Data is collected from all parts of the ship to create a platform which connects disparate systems. This enables the continual monitoring and collection of data, helping crew and managers make rules-based decisions.

The system has features such as total fuel consumption optimisation, a situational awareness decision support system which includes SMARTAlert notifications for preventing incidents and applications to enable predictive maintenance.

Hourai Maru, a mid-sized gas carrier delivered on 11th March 2019, was the first ship certified with a ClassNK-approved SMARTShip.