SHIP MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY LEADERS | 15
Bob Maxwell
Managing director of BSM’s Ship Management Centre (Singapore)
"One of the reasons for this is the industry’s regulatory system, which is not consistent”
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One of the most engaging and knowledgeable technical experts in the tanker field, Bob Maxwell is an astute reader of future technical trends. Or, in other words, where he trends others follow. “Increased automation is certainly coming our way. If it means totally unmanned ships or a step in that direction, we would be foolish to pretend that it will not happen,” he asserts. Captain Maxwell believes the trend toward smarter ships is driven by the need for greater energy efficiency and the rising tide of shipping
regulation, as well as commercial pressures. But he cautions that shipping is a long way off from big data, where terabytes per minute are used to monitor and predict trends. “The number of sensors and measuring devices required to accurately monitor machine and vessel performance is underestimated and there is also a misperception that this information will be reviewed by humans ashore instead of on board. Proper digitisation means that computers will do the analysis and produce alerts and reports based on trends, but it does not remove the crew from the process,” he explained. Captain Maxwell believes that problems such as high cylinder temperatures or low oil pressure, for example, will have to be managed on board until the industry acquires the right predictive technology and has the confidence to rely on it. “Too often we have seen examples of bearings flagged for change by vibrationanalysis surveys only for engineers to test them manually and declare they are still OK,” he observes. If they are reused, it usually ends in machine failure. It is also his belief that, ultimately, the working lives of seafarers will be made easier by the reduced administrative burden stemming from the use of digital ship certificates rather than paper-based ones. Checks for compliance with regulatory requirements will be conducted more efficiently, too. “While modern IT has streamlined some aspects of shipboard administration, we are still some way from a true one-point-of-entry system. One of the reasons for this is the industry’s regulatory system, which is not consistent,” Captain Maxwell said. Although the industry is transforming, he believes its conservative nature means change could be slower than many envisage. “We need to ensure that we give our employees the right tools for the job in the 21st century and that we set realistic expectations, rather than sticking to the old ‘this is how we used to do it’ mantra,” he said.
Tanker Shipping & Trade Industry Leaders 2018