The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology

Inmarsat helps Diamond Bulk Carriers reap big data rewards

(Posted on 18/06/21)

Inmarsat, the world leader in global, mobile satellite communications, has been pivotal in connecting digital stakeholders for Asia Pacific’s first Fleet Data Premium project. Delivered for Diamond Bulk Carriers, the project requires no new hardware to enable access to the Nautilus Platform for maximum fleet efficiency.

At a time when Covid-19 restrictions continue to hamper travel for marine engineers, Inmarsat drew on certified engineers at Japanese service partner JSAT MOBILE Communications Inc. to retrofit Fleet Data on a Mitsubishi Ore Transport Co. Ltd-owned vessel at Tsuneishi Shipbuilding. Fleet Data is an Internet of Things (IoT) platform with inclusive bandwidth, delivering full visibility of a vessel or fleet's data anywhere and anytime.

“The Inmarsat service network supports maritime digitalisation worldwide. In this case the customer wanted Fleet Xpress and Fleet Data to support IoT-based fuel monitoring and management, installed in Japan at a moment when engine service attendance was not possible,” said Keng Hoe Toh, Business Development Director, Inmarsat Maritime.

With Inmarsat now offering ‘freemium’ Fleet Data with Fleet Xpress so that owners can use a limited number of shipboard data tags to trial IoT-based solutions without investment risk, Toh and his team devised a way to include more tags using ‘Fleet Data Premium’, enabled by a simple Modbus interface.

“The charterer effectively pays a fixed monthly tariff for the data needed to cut its monthly fuel bill. Fleet Data provides the bridge between engine data acquisition and Nautilus Labs analytics without additional hardware, at minimal capital expenditure for the owner,” added Toh.

“This is a great example of collaboration in the shipping industry,” commented Matt Heider, CEO at Nautilus Labs. “Nautilus Platform enables Diamond Bulk Carriers and Mitsubishi Ore Transport to strengthen their partnership for fleet performance. Our interoperable solution integrates with Inmarsat’s data transmission to provide predictive insights and a decision support tool. With more and more regulations coming up, these companies set themselves up for success by optimizing fleet efficiency to reduce emissions and outperform in the market.”

“A value creation strategy that includes decarbonisation in logistics activities is a focus for Diamond Bulk Carriers in 2021,” said Shusuke Miyazaki, Chartering and Business Development General Manager, Diamond Bulk Carriers. “A solution that accelerates our engagement with smart shipping and data analytics also helps us to secure a competitive advantage in response to a rapidly changing business environment.”

“In line with all that is best in engineering, Fleet Data Premium succeeds on both technology and cost, for the owner, charterer and application provider, also satisfying detailed yard retrofit planning needs,” said Marco Cristoforo Camporeale, Head of Maritime Digital, Inmarsat. “Inmarsat is delighted to have provided the cornerstone for a Diamond Bulk solution to maximise data management capability at minimum cost, developed for different stakeholders with different ambitions.”