Chapter 20
MANAGING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AT SEA
categories of software used by over 500/0 of respondents.
Some of the most impressive computer applications available today, that fully utilise the computer's ability to cany out sophisticated calculations, are 3D ship models that are used in live damage stability information. These programs calculate, in real time, with input from sensors, any ingress from water, whether from flooding or fire fighting (or even ice accumulation) the stability of a vessel. They can take into account effects from variable seas and wind, predict rates of lost stability, can develop scenarios and even transmit this same information via satellite to other computers. Other examples include the ability to calculate specific vessel trim to maximise fuel efficiency for any given sea condition, and extrapolating differentials in engine performance to give early indications of developing problems. High processing capacity in affordable PC's has also spawned an emerging market in the use of complex graphics for simulation programs.
Task repetition
The ability of computers to complete sequential tasks, precisely, efficiently and indefinitely is highlighted by tasks such as producing form letters, forms, payroll and communication functions. These advantages are also used to best effect through the use of monitoring, such as monitoring engine functions, cargo conditions, navigation and even hull stresses.
Record keeping and audit trail
The facilities for storing and retrieving large amOlmts of information for the purpose of record keeping and creating audit trails has really come into its own recently for the shipping industry. The reasons:
ISM, STew and even ISO and TQM for those that follow that route. Ifdesigned and operated properly, the average PC can store an amount of records, data, and information that would clog any chief engineer or master's office (even an entire cargo ship) beyond belief. Superintendents who could only look after a few ships a decade ago, can now (at least technically) maintain records of repairs, certificates status, and performance data for a much larger fleet.
In addition to satisfYing the occasional auditors, benefits from this facet of technology include the ability to access historical records of maintenance, equipment inventories, reference manuals and vast amounts of operational data for managing a vessel.
One of the most powerful computer applications to be designed and used by ship managers is, of course, the database. Databases by definition are software applications designed to save information as structured sets of data that are accessible in various ways. As a stand-alone feature, databases are an extremely efficient method of saving information such as crew records, inventoried equipment, or even procedures.
Shared through communication, however, they become a phenomenal management tool.
Shared databases allow a wide group (as wide as a network enables) to access the same information.
Following on from the examples give above, a single personnel database can be shared by the personnel department as well as a ship captain. Thus as training takes place aboard ship, a seaman's record is updated once for the entire fleet. A superintendent in Singapore as well as a purchasing agent in Piraeus can view equipment and spare parts for an entire fleet in real time. Given that personnel are disciplined in the maintenance of such systems, the potential for cost savings is tremendous.
Communication
The ability for computers to share information via communication may be the greatest strength of IT yet.
At a basic level computer files can be transferred between one computer and another by using floppy disks or CDs. Gains in efficiency can be had by linking individual computers by wire (or fibre optics) into a Local Area Network (LAN). Many ships now have LANs aboard that enable, for example, the sharing of peripherals such as printers, drives and modems as well as files. For example, a chief engineer can monitor engine performance from his office, a third mate can update the ship's medical inventory, or a navigation officer can e-mail a noon report to the company through the master's computer
Further communication can see the development of a Wide Area Network (WAN), where the shipboard's LAN is linked via satellite, cellular or land line to the office LAN. This permits shared databases and direct e-mail communication at a fraction ofthe cost of voice communication. Communication technology is advancing by leaps and bounds. Costs are plummeting, bandwidth is increasing and compression technology is enabling larger and larger file sizes to be transferred economically. The growth in communications will fuel future opportunities more than any other aspect of IT for the ship manager.
Costs and experience
When looking at information technology for today'S ship managers, itmust be noted that, in contrast with past years, hardware and software solutions have never been as inexpensive. Modern computers with more speed and capacity than could have been imagined just a few years ago can be bought for less than $1000 (USD), and come equipped with CD drives and multimedia facilities. Offthe shelf software for basic applications are powerful and reasonably intuitive and, again affordable. Customised ship management software that has been developed and improved over the years is also showing the benefits of economies of scale.
Experience is far easier to come by than ever before. For routine general and ship management
applications, experienced technicians abound.
Advances and developments in other areas of business are offering cross fertilisation for the ship management industry as well.
Weaknesses
With all the strengths outlined, one could be forgiven for thinking that computers on board must be a panacea. They're not. For many, IT at sea is a nightmare. Worse, for a few, it can lead to financial ruin.
As mentioned earlier, computers are too dumb to make a mistake. When things go wrong management is usually to blame.
Strategic planning
Successful computer systems don't just happen.
They are planned, and planned from the top. The most common factor for failed or ineffective IT systems is reported to be lack of management support. Placing a single stand-alone PC aboard a ship to run a simple payroll programme might have succeeded in the past without much intervention from senior management, but networks and shared systems throughout a fleet will never work properly if not aligned with a company's business strategy and supported from bo ard level.
Successful IT strategies are developedinharmony with a general business strategy. The most sophisticated inventory database will not succeed if the company is not co mmitted to managing its inventory. Ifthe employees do not recognise its value, if the superintendents and purchasing people do not embrace the philosophy, the hardware and software will be wasted. For an IT system to operate efficiently the senior management must incorporate it into their business plan, appoint properly skilled and educated people to implement it and be willing to commit the necessary resources. Advice from a prominent ship manager3 also states that if a system that has been committed to looks like itwill fail, it is far better to cut the project and lose the investment than to be lumbered with a poor system for years and lose continually.
Implementation
Implementation, ifnot properly managed, can be the next greatest weakness in developing an IT system.
After a strategic decision has been made, resources budgeted for, and a project manager selected. A typical implementation plan might indude4:
Carry out detailed project planning; too many projects fail because of poor, or non-existent, planning.
Involve key users throughout the project.
Expend sufficient effort in identifying training needs; this includes sea staff, shore staffand those driving the project.
Complete all preparatory work before commissioning the software.
138 THE NAUTICAL INSTITUTE
Have all key users test the system.
Properly plan and manage the data conversion and loading process.
Document the system.
During the planning stage, ship managers should also take advantage of the excellent guidance offered by the IM05 (MSC/Crrc.89I) 'Guidelines for the On- bo ard use and Application of Computers' with an annex for 'Guidelines for Shipboard Loading and Stability Computer Programs'.
Once in use
Once a computer system has been properly designed and implemented, continued success relies on the monitoring of its use and efficiency, feedback from the users, the training of subsequent users (i.e.
relief crews) and well managed upgrades as are appropriate for the commercial and regulatory environment. Many companies who have been praised for their design and implementation of IT systems, later suffer because the system they developed no longer meets the operational needs, or cannot function efficiently with hardware and operating systems not even imagined at the time of development.
IT is changing rapidly and life cycles need to be addressed as part of strategic development.
Opportunities
opportunities for improving ship management operations through the use of computers are limited only by the capacity of the computer and communication systems and human ingenuity. Some of the computer based ship management tools existing today could hardly have been imagined ten years ago. I will look briefly at what is available today, and then extrapolate as to what
some future opportunities might be.
Here and now
Entire books have been published6, andmagazines7 are dedicated to examining the vast range of maritime related software. In this chapter I will only just touch on some of the bro ad categories. The use of computers for payroll and accounting is well established and at a mature stage in its development. However, the use of computers for fleet and vessel management is a booming trade.
Opportunities for improving fleet and vessel management abound. Systems can range from simple single user pro grams on stand alone PCs that assist the master or operations manager to keep track of certificate status and maintenance logs, to large networked systems that link a whole fleet to head office, class society and suppliers and even agents.
Such systems take advantage of the most modem communication systems and cover almost all aspects offleet management including personnel, purchasing, maintenance, performance monitoring, messaging. Of particular interest in today's environment, they can document operational procedures, maintain records and create an audit trail as required for STew and
ISM. These sy stems can be created as custom applications specifically designed for an operator, or can be purchased 'off the shelf and adapted for use as required. There are a number of suppliers of such systems that cater for the ship management market and, increasingly, classification societies are offering ship management software. Fleet management software now makes it possible for fewer and fewer staff to manage greater and greater fleets, complying with ever more regulatory documentation.
Opportunities for streamlining stores and purchasing operations are also being created by the use of IT. This has always been a capital intensive area of ship management. Excessive stores and spare parts carried aboard vessels tie up valuable capital, but penalties for lack ofspares can be prohibitive. As fleet sizes grow, savings of even a few per cent are worth pursuing. Purchasing and inventory software can improve efficiency by streamlining the purchasing of consumables and by coordinating stocks of valuable spare parts within a fleet. The advent of online ordering is also coming into it's own. At the most sophisticated level, stores can be barcoded and after reference to a stores database can automatically generate purchase orders. As suppliers are now establishing an Electronic Trading Standard Format (EfSF)8, the process of submitting orders for tender electronically will save additional time and personnel intervention.
The use of computers for training is yet another area where opportunities are proving beneficial.
Seafarer training is essential on ships growing in sophistication and is required by STCW95. A well balanced training programme using a variety of methods for different tasks and environments is always best, but the use of Computer Based Training (CBT) and even Internet Based Training (IBT) have valuable roles to play. Two of the major benefits ofCBT are that modern processing power has enabled the development of very realistic simulation programs and properly designed CBT programs provide a unique environment for one-to-one interactive training that can concentrate on a student's areas of weakness and document successful (or unsuccessful) results.
Communication
Communications may be the fastest developing sector of the whole marine IT spectrum. Satellite systems, including Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), Low- Earth Orbit (LEO) and even cellular are improving their range and fidelity, reducing the cost of air time and increasing their bandwidth. This in conjunction with compression technology, packet switching technology and scheduled data-bursts for off peak times is continually driving down the cost of ship-to- shore communication. Communication is a big deal!
Businesses thrive, safety is increased and people exist through the use of communication.
Now, admittedly, this assumes increased quality rather thanjust quantity of communication, but none the less by having the option for low cost communication, the potential for improvement is vast.
Already the use of e-mail has improved inter-fleet communication over the use of telex or fax and the ability offleetmanagement software to auto-generate messages from operational procedures such as position reports, maintenance scheduling, training and stores, just to name a few, saves time and improves
communication flow.
The future
Unfortunately my laptop is not programmed with a virtual crystal ball, but I can predict that opportunities for the future will follow on from the themes discussed by taking advantage of greater computing and communication power.
As communication becomes less expensive, its use will expand. It is interesting to note that as the cost of communication has come down over the past decades, many operators report that their communication bill has remained steady, but the volume has increased many times over. This trend will likely advance to the point where vessels are on-line at all times, and ship managers willjust pay a fixed fee. This will allow shore staff to monitor ship functions in real time and the vessel staff will be as incorporated in the operations of the company as any shore-side department might be. This facility will also permit unrestricted use of video conferencing for routine management as well as for diagnostics and maintenance purposes.
Fixed communication costs will also herald the use of the Intemet. Use of the Internet will permit vessels to access wide ranges of current information and services. For example, maintenance and trouble shooting databases for engineering equipment might be available from manufactures, weather observation and forecasting will be a mouse click away and the cook might even fmd a new recipe - the mind boggles.
Ramifications for the quality oflife on board also exist. Diminishing quality oflife on board is often cited by seafarers as the primary reason for leaving the sea.
As the industry changes the traditional rewards of a career at sea are disappearing. Poor retention of sea staff is an expensive prob lem. The ability to talk, or even video conference with family members, maintain hobbies, or even plan a holiday could make all the difference to the young engineer who can't even get ashore (further information on the uses and application of the Internet for seafarers can be found in The Nautical Institute's briefing paper on the subject)9.
Opportunities for future benefits from Information Technology at sea are endless. The use of voice recognition and virtual reality will be affordable soon, and the use of Knowledge Based Decision Support Systems (KBDSS) are also available and increasing in popularity. One area of opportunity not yet discussed,
however, is that of using IT to enhance the potential of on board skills. Skills of on board personnel are often not fully utilised for the benefit of the company.
In most cases this is due to lack of communication or lack of realisation. Shipboard officers trained in the use of IT, whether word processors and spreadsheets, or more specialised programs like CAD or engineering programs and benefiting from good fleet communications can be a valuable company asset As competition gets fiercer, such assets should not be ignored. For example, deck officers trained in specialised cargo operations could become a readily available fleet-wide consultant, as could engineers with specialist knowledge or experience. Other advantages can be had by masters and chief engineers participating in such things as shipyard preparation that takes advantage of their skills while some oftheir more mundane tasks are outsourced to others over the same network. This not only takes best advantage of fleet resources, but provides often needed career expansion opportunities for seafurers.