Page 32: of Marine News Magazine (July 2011)

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32MNJuly 2011Alaris Reduces FleetEnergy Consumption Alaris Companies specializes in investment grade energy audits pro- viding the tools necessary to reduce energy consumption and cost. A highemphasis is placed on establishing abaseline of energy consumption todetermine an operating energy profile of a vessel or a fleet. After a baseline is established, energy conservation measures (ECMs) are recommended and evaluated by cost savings. Further analysis is done to determine thebaseline consumption cost associatedwith each main component and thesavings of each component if allECMs are implemented. In addition to cost savings, Alaris provides the baseline for emissions and the reduc- tion associated with the implementedECMs. Each ECM investment is cat- egorized by initial cost, initial savings, payback period, ROI and 10 year NPV. When implemented, the short term ECMs can provide immediate savings. Alaris also takes into consid-eration long range investments. Savings projections are calculated with emissions regulations considered and further recommendation reflect those considerations. Long rangeinvestments include, but are not lim- ited to: main propulsion or auxiliary engine upgrade, propeller nozzles, utility power conversion and imple- mentation of recommended ECMs. ABS Nautical SystemsHull Inpection Tool ABS Nautical Systems Hull Inspection software is a browser- based tool that enables an organiza-tion to track the structural condition of a vessel throughout its service life. This system enables officers onboard, prior to any tank inspection, to have a clear overview of the tanks arrange- ment through the actual vessels con- struction drawings, while highlight- ing structural details representing hot spots and critical areas in need of par- ticular attention. Hull Inspection also enables owners and operators to sys- tematically examine and grade thehull structure of each vessel, provid- ing fleet-wide statistics anddefects/maintenance trends. The Hull Inspection program includes a manu- al, outlining areas to examine; tools for scheduling, recording and report- ing inspections; and identification ofcritical areas for on-going monitor- ing. Euronav was the first adopter of ABS Nautical Systems Hull Inspection module. Edoc Makes Upgrades toHelm Onboard Slated for launch at the end of 2011, Helm Onboard, with sub modules Captains Log, Crew Pay and Maintenance, will continue to send and receive data, automatically process data and trigger events on shore. The new release of Onboard has upgrades including ensuring thateach vessel in the fleet will receive only specific information pertaining to that vessel, reducing bandwidth requirements and accelerating data transfer. Other upgrades will allow Onboard to be more adaptable for customization, further reducing costs to end-users. Where Onboard hasnt changed is its ability to operate dis-connected from the Internet and the touch screen interface. Edocs goal for the new Onboard is to require zero training for users. The new Helm Onboard will be completely decou- pled from Edocs shore-side Helm system, which will allow non-Helm users to implement Helm Onboard in their respective fleets. A graphical display of energy usage andsavings prepared by Alaris Companies.