Nine New Pilot Boats to Be Equipped with AST's Monitoring Tool

AST said it has secured an order to supply its iRAMS monitoring systems for Norfolk, U.K. boat builder Goodchild Marine Services, to install on nine new ORC fast pilot vessels being built for British ports.

The Pantocarene-designed launches were ordered in November by Associated British Ports in a £9 million deal. Construction of the first vessel has already begun and it is expected to be delivered to ABP’s Humber region in 2021. In total, ABP has commissioned five vessels to serve its Humber ports, three for Southampton and one for Barry in South Wales.

With iRAMS installed, engineering and operational teams can read engine data remotely, 24 hours-a-day, AST said. Near real-time performance metrics will allow boat operators, shoreside to view engine parameters, receive email alerts and compare fleet vessels against each other enabling more efficient vessel maintenance and management.

Access to the engine data empowers customers to carry out preventative maintenance and spot issues early. With iRAMS installed, customers can view a vessel’s journey in real-time. Operational teams can set up geo-fences and be notified when a vessel enters or exits the port. Recent and historic reports can be downloaded, easily and all this information is available via an online iRAMS portal.

The easy-to-use portal allows users to monitor engine data points including temperature, pressure, boost, CO² levels, fuel consumption and more. Users can also configure engine performance parameters that trigger email alerts when thresholds are exceeded, view engine data in tables and charts and download as .CSV and .PDF and schedule the automated creation and sharing of data reports by email.

AST Marine Sciences managing director, David Davies, said , "Port authorities invest millions into pilot vessels and pilot service operations. iRAMS enhances these services and reduces operational risk by harnessing accurate engine vessel data. With this data in hand, businesses can make intelligent decisions about how vessels are operated and maintained and ultimately, save time and money.”

Stephen Pierce, general manager at Goodchild Marine Services, said, "Our customers want the benefits of new technology, and iRAMS is a groundbreaking vessel engine and asset management system. Integration with AST PMS means increased automation that drives down costs and reduces the environmental impact of running our vessels."