Marine management systems are a vital component for the smooth, accurate and safe running of any offshore operation. For the building and maintenance of offshore wind farms, as well as many other operations that are focused in the water, having the ability to accurately and quickly track vessels is an important function.
There are many different components to a marine management system, with a number of features and benefits worth considering. Choosing to work with the right software and interface for marine management, could be the difference between a successful offshore operation, with the minutiae of everyday life on the water being extremely important to the safety of vessels, their crew and the equipment being carried.
If you are looking to install a high quality vessel tracking system as part of a wider marine management programme, you should consider one with the following features.
Complete Audit Trail for Vessel Tracking:
The best vessel tracking systems do not just worry about the immediate and real-time machinations of the routes and cargo. A good vessel tracking program as part of a larger marine management system also provides a full replay of all vessel movements on the system. This allows for a complete audit train of all actual vessel movements on a site map. It is always best to be thoroughly prepared and having as much information as possible to hand can be very helpful when it comes to an investigation in the case of an offshore incident.
Simple Search Functionality:
Being able to quickly search for a vessel by name and see where it is on site at any given moment is a priceless process. This is especially the case during times of crisis where you need to understand the location of a vessel immediately.
Export Vessel Activity to Other Programmes:
As well as being able to utilise the in-programme functions for real-time activity it is also important to be able to take the raw data and export it into other programmes and facilities. So for example, the data on a particular vessel might be sent to a person who requires that information in PDF form, or raw data in an excel spreadsheet.
Space for Critique of Vessels:
For each individual vessel, the information noted down could be critical during an emergency situation in the future, or to ensure smooth passage during the next project. A good marine management and vessel tracking system will have space for notes to be added regarding the performance of vessels, with access for those with permissions.
As you can see, there are a number of desirable features that should be acquired as part of a vessel tracking programme and marine management system. Having the ability to quickly access accurate information relating to specific vessels can help to keep them on track whilst mid-journey, protect company assets from harm and ensure that performance records are checked to fine-tune maintenance procedures. Information is critical in a harsh environment such as the offshore industry and it is important to have as many tools to back up the management of a project
Content written by Stephen Doughty
