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WORKBOAT COMMUNICATIONS “AMP allows the customer to not only manage the system for the crew, but to manage for the end user paying for the service. In years past, they’d call, you’d open a trouble ticket, but no matter how much work you did, you could never validate or prove how the system was being used. AMP shows how long, who is using it and where they are, so it really gives a vessel manager a view into the satellite system that they never had before.” –Steve Burke, Regional Manager at Bluetide Communications ing used. AMP shows how long, who is using it and where drivers – condition-based maintenance, fuel consumption, they are, so it really gives a vessel manager a view into the full access to generators and engines – so we can see what satellite system that they never had before.” these are doing in real time. The system sees problems as

Jackson’s eight vessels access a 1024x512 bandwidth they happen, so we can be proactive instead of reactive pipe via VSAT and backup Iridium phones service, WiFi with a skyrocketing problem and save on costs.” and wireless access points, Bluetide Communications/ “Something we tried to do in the market from day one is

Hughes modem and below deck equipment, value-added to be ? exible, to be as open and provide the customer with services such as monitoring, and ancillary networks. The as much data as can be provided, to give them visibility company dynamically allocates a percentage of its network into the system,” says Bluetide’s Burke, adding “A CIO at to secure (corporate) use and a percentage to crew and a large OSV company was tired of hearing the answer to guests. “This allows each sector to throttle up to 100% of every problem on board is ‘We need more bandwidth.’ He the available bandwidth, but to never go below its alloca- challenged us; he worked with our R&D. What can we do tion,” says Zimmer. “It’s a great approach to ensuring crew to differentiate ourselves in the market and make sure the access doesn’t interfere with corporate needs.” customer bene? ted from it? Having the ability to manage

Beyond this, and perhaps just as important, AMP re- bandwidth on a vessel remotely or even on board has been moves the need for physical interference, or having a ? rst a game changer for us, it really has.” mate or captain take their eyes off what they are doing to Zimmer also uses vessel mapping fairly heavily. “Blu- try and trace down who is using the bandwidth. etide has a service – Bluevision – we’ve not seen elsewhere.

It gives us the ability to use geo-fences to check on a vessel in real time. If it is in an area it shouldn’t be, we get noti-

Monitoring Makes an Impact ? ed.” Jackson also has just installed a tilt zoom camera that

Reliable, affordable connectivity allows more than just serv- monitors back deck activity. “All the managers have access. ing up daily information dumps back to shore. It enables me- teorological and nautical map updates on a scheduled basis, It’s useful from both a safety aspect and for clients to see vessel tracking and safety monitoring. For instance, a camera availability of space on the deck,” notes Zimmer. onboard can provide onshore supervisors - and even clients –

Value of Data Exceeds Cost with a window into shipboard safety practices, which can be immediately corrected, as well as cargo security and density. The value of data returned to shore far outweighs the

Feeding a steady stream of equipment and fuel-related sen- cost of the service. Not surprisingly, this means that going sor data back to the home of? ce allows for real time analysis, forward, ships will want to connect crews not just to fam- providing the opportunity for timely route, speed and crew ily, but to everything they can, moving better connectivity schedule changes, equipment ? xes or safety and security alerts. to the top of not just crew, but operator lists as well.

Jackson Offshore is a good example of a company using And, according to Bluetide, the cost [to install] is mini- its connectivity to improve vessel performance. “We have mal compared to the savings you will achieve. Burke fuel tracking on several vessels that lets us see fuel ? ow in explains, “When you look at the minimal investment real time. It’s also part of an electronic log system, which involved, it takes literally one month to pay for itself. De- captures a ton of information – fuel ? ow, oil ? ow, con- pending what is in place, we can do it in two hours. We sumption, temperature, pressure – you can see and make did eight vessels in 12 hours. We average a little less than a decisions based on that data,” says Zimmer. day in setting it up – we can get it operating in 5-6 hours.”

From a cost-saving perspective, he is particularly pleased

Patricia Keefe is a veteran journalist, with Bluetide. “They’ll change the amount of bandwidth editor and commentator who writes about needed on 24-hour notice – that is almost unheard of in technology, business and maritime topics. this industry. They let us monitor some of the bigger cost 45 www.marinelink.com MN

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