System integrator Alewijnse Marine has developed a new service that is already delivering higher cost-savings and less downtime via proactive preventive maintenance of vessels’ electrical systems. The Alewijnse Health Check Service delivers preventive maintenance inspections either on-demand or on a contract basis to all vessels types.
Successful
By identifying and replacing components that may about to fail, become obsolete, or approaching their end of life, unscheduled and unwelcome downtime or expensive call-outs can be avoided by ship-owners and operators. This Health Check service is already being successfully applied to the pilot vessels Polaris, Pollux and Procyon operated by Nederlands Loodswezen, as well as a number of luxury yachts and naval vessels that have requested health checks ahead of the summer season or long-term missions.
Importance of preventive maintenance
Alewijnse Service Coordinator Rutger Boonstra explains: “Using visual inspections, measurements and thermographic recordings, we survey the condition of electrical installations for technical duration and safety and can advise on replacement. This increases the financial predictability of the work, ensures maximum lifetime and performance, and lowers operational costs for vessels in a safe, reliable and sustainable way.”
“Regular monitoring of the condition of any vessel’s electrical installations is not a luxury but an absolute necessity, to prevent serious problems such as fire or breakdowns, particularly for vessels that are always on the move and subject to continually changing weather conditions,” Boonstra continues.
Tools and techniques
“We have a wide range of tools and techniques available. For example, with a Megger test we can measure the resistance of insulating material to check its effectiveness, and so prevent accidents such as short circuits or electric shocks. For thermographic inspections we use a special infrared camera to check if components are giving off too much heat. If they are, we can propose measures that will prevent the wasteful use of energy and also reduce the risk of damage to and failure of the electrical systems.”
“In addition, we also offer comprehensive inspections of both specialised electrical systems such as those managing automation, fire detection and alarm systems, as well as those responsible for general ship’s operations. We can even provide analysis of a vessel’s data and communications networks, covering both capability and security. With all the data that we collect we can effectively identify issues and address them in an efficient way.”
Loodswezen
“Our customers so far are very satisfied with the Alewijnse Health Check Service” Boonstra concludes. “For example, our cooperation with the Dutch pilotage company Loodswezen is a great success. It is vital for Loodswezen and its customers that its vessels are always reliable, and therefore the electrical systems must be in the best possible condition. Together we have invested in developing a method to achieve this, and today regular Alewijnse Health Checks are preventing malfunctions from occurring when the vessels are performing their vital duties.”
Life cycle management
The Health Check inspections are part of Alewijnse’s integral life cycle management concept, which works with the group’s customers to delivers competent service and maintenance services during the vessel’s entire life cycle, and so minimise total lifetime costs.
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