- Bakker Sliedrecht services ships Anthony Veder remotely via augmented reality glasses.
- The companies have run a successful pilot on gas tanker Coral Favia.
- During the pilot, functionalities were tested via a dial-up connection and common failures were simulated.
- Especially during the corona crisis, remote maintenance and repair proved to be the solution to keep ships afloat and save on costs.
After a successful pilot, system integrator Bakker Sliedrecht and gas shipping company Anthony Veder intend to enter a partnership to provide ships with remote service through augmented reality glasses (AR-glasses), reads the company’s website.
Via a computer, service engineers of Bakker Sliedrecht can see live on board footage of the AR-glasses wearer.
Successful test with gas tanker Coral Favia
The company tested the AR glasses on the Coral Favia gas tanker owned by the Anthony Veder shipping company. An onboard crew member wore the AR glasses and led technical specialists virtually through the ship.
This means that the cause of a malfunction can be found much quicker than in the usual way. In that case, there will first be frequent mail contact about a malfunction onboard.
“We can now watch this live thanks to the glasses,” states Daan van Loon from Bakker Sliedrecht. “That also enables us to solve a problem very quickly. Previously, we had to wait until the mechanic was present. That’s no longer necessary in some cases.”
Aside from the fact that specialists ashore can directly observe what is happening on board, the system also enables technical diagrams or 3D images to be sent. This means that the crew member can be given instructions on what to do in terms of repairs.
Remote assistance technology
According to Van Loon, more and more of these ‘remote assistance’ technologies will be introduced in the near future.
For example, onboard systems will now be equipped with internet connections. This allows a problem to be identified ashore even before it actually occurs. The internet connection also offers the possibility to fix software problems and implement updates. Remotely carrying out maintenance and repairs doesn’t just save the shipowner a lot of money.
Apart from the fact that the ship can continue to operate, Bakker Sliedrecht’s engineers also need to travel much less frequently. “Ultimately, this also benefits the environment,” Van Loon adds.
Future of Maritime servicing
Anthony Veder wants to expand the deployment of the AR glass in phases over a part of the fleet. In addition to purchasing AR glasses, staff will be trained and the IT infrastructure will be upgraded.
“We believe that these kinds of developments are the future. Ships are becoming increasingly complex. As a result, much more expertise and specialism is needed to see what is going on. Something that is often not present on board. The glasses can save a lot of time, travel time and money, which is why the investment is worth it,” says Boogaart.
He added, “Especially during Corona times, the glasses are a useful tool because borders are closed and planes stay on the ground. Then these kinds of innovations have proven to be necessary.”
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Source: Bakker Sliedrecht
