Easy Optimisers

Getting the best results from vessels and equipment is achieved by analysing their capacities and the circumstances in which they need to perform. Knowing what kind of loads can be expected, helps operators decide how to handle their vessel most efficiently. Following this philosophy, Amarcon provides software that predicts vessel behaviour in various environments.

“We deliver decision support”, Amarcon marketing and sales manager Tim Ellis puts it briefly. Fuel economy is a key effort in ship handling, as cargo prices push shipowners to operate as efficient as possible. For new ships, hull form, propulsion systems and energy management aboard can be optimised state- of-the-art. During refits, older systems aboard can be reset to optimal performance or replaced with more efficient ones. Yet, the biggest achievement in reducing fuel consumption can be made by always making sure the vessel operates at maximum efficiency. Amarcon provides software that links information from a wide variety of onboard systems to calculate and predict roll angles, slamming in waves or the vessel’s capabilities for dynamic positioning in conditions as predicted by weather forecast agencies. Knowing what loads can be expected helps deciding if it is safe to go out and operate specialised vessels at sea. It also helps predict fuel consumption. And because the Amarcon product is software that analyses data from mostly already installed onboard equipment, investment for optimising operations are modest. Making sure to always operate most efficient, given the ship’s power plant, often results in considerable fuel savings. Amarcon helps optimising without immense investment.

“Octopus is a software system with its tentacles all around the vessel”, Ellis smiles. “The computer is set with all the ship’s parameters like length, width, deadweight, engine power and fuel consumption characteristics. It is connected to the GPS, a gyroscope, at each trip the weight and distribution of the load is entered. The hydrodynamic model we developed can now give accurate response predictions about the vessel’s behaviour in varying conditions. For a vessel engaged in offshore operations, we can predict the sea state up to which it is capable to keep in at place with the power of its DP system. Combined with the input of a weather forecast, it is quite easy to distract a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from the data presented. Again, with the added data from a weather forecast and linked to the ship’s ECDIS, ideal routes along weather systems and currents can be calculated for freight transport ships. Clever routing, combined with calculated optimal engine revolution values for every stage of the route can help bridge crews to ensure arriving in time at the least possible fuel cost.”

Design to monitoring

Amarcon distincts several markets that use the software for various reasons. Cargo vessels and cruise liners can use the data for routing. Cargo vessels also benefit from the load-distribution analysis, knowing where to put the heavy weights for best ship performance when under load. Heavy lift operators use the software to predict but also monitor the roll angles of their vessels. Offshore and dredging operations rely on the DP capability calculations provided by Octopus. Apart from the onboard use, Octopus- Office is used at shipowners’ offices and in universities. Students at naval institutes learn how to calculate seakeeping characteristics and voyage and site dependent response statistics. Naval architects all over the world use Octopus Office to calculate operational limitations of their fleet during operations at sea.

To service all these markets best, different versions of the software were developed. Octopus Onboard is used for prediction of ship motions and optimal routing. Octopus TMS is used in addition to Octopus-Onboard for measuring ship motions aboard heavy lift and offshore operations vessels. Octopus Online enables shipowners to monitor the ships’ behaviour and actual status remotely at any desired location. Octopus Office is for students, naval architects and planning departments at ship operating companies.

Market strategy

Leon Adegeest founded Amarcon in 2002. With a PhD in hydrodynamics from Technical University Delft, he saw the potential of analysing software to improve vessel efficiency, using engines and equipment as currently installed. Octopus software is a distinctive line of products, and Adegeest had the advantage of university contacts and experience from earlier employments. Octopus Office is actually a market-ready software package that originates from a university developed programme called Seaway and formed the founding for Octopus- Onboard. Now should the software be marketed directly toward end-users like shipowners or would the better business strategy be to team up with suppliers of vessel automation and bridge equipment to sell Octopus as part of a package in bridge system integration? Adegeest decided to do both. Initial clients were end-users. Now that the company is heading towards the second lustrum, the interest from system integrators and providers of ECDIS systems is enormously, clearly marking the acceptance of the system by the industry.

Integration

“We install the whole package”, Ellis reassures. “At the bridge we install the computer itself with screen. We have made a hydrodynamic model with the ship’s characteristics. During the instalment, we connect the system to all the sensors like gyroscope, satellite receivers, possible engine monitoring systems and so forth. The captain gets a turn key system.” From the first client contacts until today, Amarcon’s business has been international. The first client was an American shipowner. In their own country, Dutch shipowner Dockwise has ordered Octopus for the new flagship Vanguard. The shipping industry like the software industry is truly international. Country of origin may seem irrelevant, but it was Dutch know-how and creativity that led to Octopus.

Hans Buitelaar