First of all, marine vessel system automation is a process. It is the process of using the ship's engines to drive various auxiliary and safety systems such as working lamps, vessel lighting, steering and much more. In most cases, it is also combined with electronic sonar to give the captain and others a live tracking of the ship. In a way, this allows for the ship to be located, even when not in the water. These systems are very important to modern day ship companies since they save valuable time and energy while traveling long distances.

On a ship there are many parameters that needs to be controlled or monitored including: temperatures, pressure, level, viscosity, flow control, position of vessel, speed, torque control, voltage, current, machinery status (on/ off), and equipment status (open/ closed).

As the market is driving ship owners to become more efficient with reduced staff on board it called for an automatic control and monitoring system for the ship that enabled unattended operation of machinery spaces. Vessels capable of safe operation at any period of time qualify as UMS (Unattended Machinery Space) ships.

Vessel Automation – Safety

It's essential for shipping enthusiasts and owners to have a marine vessel automation system for safety purposes. Whilst most mariners have their own personal computers or laptops where they can keep track of their ship or boat's vital statistics, for shipping companies need much larger platforms. They can set the level of automation based on their own preferences and there are now systems that can be remotely operated, manual operation, or all-automatic.

The Right Solution

Finding the right partner to install such systems is of great importance and it will enable lower maintenance costs and help to optimize a ships’ performance. Once installed, it is unlikely that one would need any assistance to use the system as these systems are quite standard across the board. However, Van Der Leun China covers the process from start to finish and provides maintenance services if required.