Dynamic Positioning capability forecast: Planning of operations, hours and days ahead
One of the extensions within OCTOPUS-Onboard is the Dynamic Positioning capability forecast function, DP for short. The OCTOPUS-DP functionality gives offshore vessels the possibility to make optimum use of a safe time window for their weather-sensitive operations. An important remark has to be made here. The OCTOPUS-DP functionality can not be compared with already existing Dynamic Positioning Systems.
Fig.1: Yellow line indicates required working heading band. Red zones are headings where DP-capability is insufficient or vessel responses are higher than allowed.
Where traditional DP systems try to keep the vessels position during an offshore operation, OCTOPUS-DP takes it one step further. A forecast is given if the vessel is capable of maintaining her position and heading in changing environmental and weather conditions, hours and days ahead.
How does it work?
Basically, the DP software calculates an onboard forecast of the mean and slowly varying forces acting on the vessel due to currents, wind and waves. The calculations are based on measured environmental conditions and on weather forecasts, which are an integrated part of OCTOPUS-Onboard. The first result is the forecast of the mean heading the vessel would obtain if weathervaning or drifting. The DP Capability software also calculates how the expected forces will influence the ship and if these forces would bring it out of position during an operation at sea for any available thruster configuration. OCTOPUS-DP uses the thruster properties as input. There is no direct link with the DP-system itself.
With the obtained information, it easy to judge for which DP thruster configuration the vessel is resistant against expected forces or that it is better to stop and start the operation at a different time. Safe heading sectors are given in Polar Plots. A safe time window is given in the OCTOPUS Weather Window. The window gives the crew a clear view on how these forces have a different impact on the ship at a change of heading. This way the crew gets a clear forecast if the operation can be executed in the hours and days ahead, and under which heading this can safely be done.
- The red section shows the vessels DP Capability under a required heading
Conclusion
With DP capability the crew can easily see if it is sensible and efficient to start or go on with the operation at sea. Or is it better to start (again) at a different time? The benefits are clear:
- A clear and complete indication of the operational windows for weather-sensitive operations at sea
- Better and efficient preparation and execution of projects
- Less damages and stress to the vessel
- Optimal use of man and machine in a safe environment, leading to significant cost reductions.
Smit Heavy Lift Europe B.V. profits from OCTOPUS-Onboard
After leasing Amarcon's Portable Surveyor Box for several weeks, Smit Heavy Lift Europe B.V. decided to purchase OCTOPUS-Onboard for the installation on her Smit Taklift 4 vessel. Where the Portable Surveyor Box is used to monitor and advice in one-time-only projects, OCTOPUS-Onboard is a permanent centralized solution for wave and motion monitoring. In general it is also the ideal tool for route planning and optimization of speed, heading and fuel consumption in every weather condition, onboard of any sea going vessel.
The Smit Taklift 4 Heavy Lift vessel is mainly used for transport and heavy lift purposes during offshore operations. With the installation of OCTOPUS-Onboard, the Smit Taklift 4 vessel profits from Heavy Weather Decision Support by making use of the Nowcasting Weather Forecast service. Furthermore, an interface with the Datawell wave buoy shall be installed. This makes it possible to measure the height of the waves that surround the ship. By doing this a clear time window can be obtained for the operation in progress. In this way clients of Smit Heavy Lift Europe B.V. also profit directly from Amarcon?s expertise. With OCTOPUS-Onboard installed on the Smit Taklift 4, offshore operations are executed with far more safety and efficiency then in the past. The benefits are clear: optimal use of man and machine in a safe environment, leading to significant cost reductions. For more information about the products of Amarcon, go to: www.amarcon.com.
Rolldock orders OCTOPUS-Onboard for newbuild vessel
Amarcon is proud to announce that Rolldock has ordered OCTOPUS-Onboard for the newbuild Multipurpose Heavy lift vessel Rolldock Sea. This vessel is a sister ship of the Rolldock Sun, that has been in use from the beginning of 2010. All the ships from Rolldock use similar principles, a combination between float-in/float-out, roll-on/roll-off- en lift-on/lift-off capabilities.
The Rolldock Sea is equipped with two cranes and a loading deck that can be adjusted into several positions, making it possible to adapt to every sort of dock in the world. Furthermore, the ship is semi-submersible. This means, by letting in water in ballast tanks, the Rolldock Sea is capable to let itself sink to a certain depth. In that way ships with a maximum draught up to 6 meters, can sail on to the loading deck of the Rolldock Sea. After letting the water out of the ballast tanks, the vessel is brought up again so that the cargo can be transported. By using OCTOPUS-Onboard on the Rolldock Sea, the operating crew benefits from spot on decision support and ship motion monitoring during the full length of the operation, anytime, anywhere. OCTOPUS-Onboard is the perfect solution to make ship operations at sea more efficient and safe. This leading to significant cost reductions for the industry.
For more information about Amarcon products for various markets within the maritime industry, please visit: www.amarcon.com.
11/18/10
Satisfied Dockwise orders OCTOPUS-Onboard for Yacht Express vessel
Dockwise has placed the order for OCTOPUS-Onboard for her Yacht Express vessel. The ordered system integrates Motion Monitoring, Weather Forecasting, Vessel Response Prediction and Heavy Weather Decision Support to create maximum decision- and cost awareness for the operating crew of the Yacht Express. This latest order can be seen as another result of the ongoing and historical relationship between Amarcon and Dockwise. The first Octopus-Onboard system was installed on the Dockwise semi-submersible heavy transport vessel TransShelf in 2006.
The Yacht Express was added to the Dockwise fleet in May 2007. This specialized ship is used for the transportation of yachts of any class. By letting in ballast water until the main deck is submerged to a critical depth, this allows the yachts to sail aboard. Dockwise operates the largest fleet of specialized vessels in the world: a versatile fleet of 20 semi-submersible, heavy transport vessels of different concepts and designs. With the installation of OCTOPUS-Onboard, Dockwise obtains clear benefits regarding efficiency and safety matters for her Yacht Express vessel. For more information about Amarcon products for various markets within the maritime industry, please visit: www.amarcon.com.
Foreign partners of Amarcon profit from low taxes
Shipping companies all over the world make use of the innovative OCTOPUS range of products that form a unique combination for improving safety/efficiency and cutting down costs in the maritime industry. A recent study from KPMG shows that there are even more reasons why companies outside the Netherlands profit from doing business with Amarcon. The study from KPMG clearly states that taxation of foreign companies in the Netherlands is the lowest in Europe, and third lowest in the world. With this in mind, Amarcon is an attractive partner for foreign parties when it comes to the development of R&D activities or customized OCTOPUS-based solutions.
On the website of the Netherlands Embassy in Helsinki, Finland you can read the full article.
Amarcon emphasizes the importance of good and innovative teaching materials for maritime universities and nautical colleges worldwide. The OCTOPUS range of products is available for teaching purposes. Of course this is done against a price that meets the intentions of the use.
Many educational institutions across the globe are already using OCTOPUS for their classes. For instance: TU Delft (The Netherlands), University of Sao Paulo (Brazil), Monohakobi Technology Insitute (Japan) and Jade-Hochschule (Germany) are just a few of the satisfied users that use OCTOPUS at their facilities.
Please visit our Education & Training section for more information.
Article 'Human error and heavy weather damage'
An article on www.shipsandoil.com gives a clear, probably not meant as such, reference why the OCTOPUS technology is of growing importance to the maritime industry. The article from Vic Gibson, which was a contribution to Safety at Sea International in 2008, gives a good and profound insight on human errors and heavy weather damage in the maritime world. Gibson says: 'It is important for owners and managers to identify the potential risks to their vessels and to provide masters with appropriate means to deal with them.' Furthermore, he gives a few examples of severe accidents at sea, which could easily have been prevented by using the OCTOPUS range of products. Please click here to read the full article.
Amarcon and Maris join forces in Voyage Decision Support systems
Press release 2010-09-08
SMM Hamburg
At the SMM in Hamburg this week Amarcon and Maris signed an agreement on the joint development, marketing and sales of the VDS system as currently under development at MARIS. The MARIS VDS is an electronic tool based on MARIS ECDIS designed to plan and execute the voyage, and to document and analyze the result.
Amarcon is well-known in the maritime industry for their OCTOPUS technology, a suite of hardware and software products that form a unique combination for improving safety/efficiency and cutting down costs in voyage execution and marine operation. Now Amarcon will become the OEM partner of MARIS for supplying the seakeeping module within the MARIS VDS system, based on the OCTOPUS technology. The integration of OCTOPUS technology within the VDS system has huge benefits for its consumer. Amarcon?s state of the art build-in expertise about ?how do ships behave in waves?, and the digital navigation charts from Maris will now be available in one complete and userfriendly system.
The integration of OCTOPUS within VDS will result in a system that gives you the best of both worlds: spot on navigation and precise decision support. Furthermore, in 2012 it will be required for all SOLAS vessels to use a certified and digital electronic navigation chart. Anticipating on these developments, shipping companies can make sure that their navigation system meets the required future legal standards, whilst benefiting from the specific decision support that the integrated OCTOPUS software has to offer.
Meet Amarcon at SMM Hamburg 2010, 7-10 Sept. Hal B7, Dutch Pavilion, Stand 61
CAN IT GET ANY BETTER? YES IT CAN!
OCTOPUS-Onboard is extended with a module that constitutes a new dynamic approach to voyage planning. It combines onboard measurements and forecasts with a new algorithm which will assist the Master to reach the destination by choosing the route with the lowest resistance and cruising with the optimal speed.
Furthermore the crew and for that matter the office ashore will obtain a clear view of the hull performance of the vessel throughout its lifecycle.
SBIR PROJECT ROYAL NETHERLANDS NAVY
Amarcon is working on the SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) project for the Royal Netherlands Navy. Amarcon is responsible for the development of a system for very-short-term motion predictions based on an X-band radar. This radar makes it possible to measure different wave heights in the surroundings of the ship. These results create a window for (for example) safe helicopter landings on the decks of navy vessels.
POSITIVE FEEDBACK FOR OCTOPUS-ONLINE!
OCTOPUS-Online has proven to be a stable and rapid system for monitoring project progress and vessel statistics. In 2010Q2 we started with the development of a 'fleet-management' tool which translates the data from OCTOPUS-Online to valuable fleet management info like vessel performance and fuel consumption. The first tests are currently taking place and have received positive feedback from large potential accounts.
SMIT TAKLIFT USES OCTOPUS-ONBOARD
Amarcon has recently installed OCTOPUS-Onboard on a Smit Taklift vessel from Smit Heavy Lift in Rotterdam. The motion monitoring system was extended with a wireless sensor on the cargo unit. Smit used the system for motion monitoring and weather window prediction during installation of equipment for an offshore windmill park.
AMARCON DELIVERS TO JOINT INDUSTRY PROJECT MONITAS
Amarcon has delivered a customized on OCTOPUS-based software package for hull structure fatigue assessment to the international MONITAS Joint Industry Project. The project is coordinated by Marin, the Dutch institute for maritime research and focuses on hull integrity of FPSO's. Our participation in this project was of specific interest because oil majors like Total, Shell, Petrobas and Exxon are also in the user group of the OCTOPUS-Monitas software. Parallel to this project is the development of the first client-server application of OCTOPUS. Amarcon will also participate in the MONITAS-2 project.
JUMBO SHIPPING EXTENDS BENEFITS OCTOPUS-ONBOARD
Recently, Jumbo Shipping has extended the use of OCTOPUS-Onboard with performance monitoring. The benefits are noteworthy. The crew can monitor fuel consumption constantly, which makes them aware of the cost-impact of their actions. It makes it possible for the Jumbo Shipping office to maintain direct online contact with the vessel. Performances can be easily checked upon at the office, wherever the vessel is!
CMA STRENGTHENS BONDS WITH AMARCON
CMA CGM continues the equipment of their newbuild container vessels with OCTOPUS-Onboard. A Service Level Agreement was signed for continuous support and further development of the OCTOPUS-Onboard systems, with focus on performance monitoring.
AMARCON SUPERVISORY BOARD
Jan Dirk Smit has been installed as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Amarcon. Mr. Smit has a broad experience in management and monitoring positions in international environments. Amarcon is pleased with the installation of Mr. Smit and wishes him a lot of success during his activities for Amarcon!
AMARCON AT SMM2010 HAMBURG
Amarcon will attend the SMM2010 exhibition in Hamburg. Visit us at Stand 61, Hall B7!
Live demonstrations of OCTOPUS at our stand.
All new functionality can be shown:
- OCTOPUS-Onboard
- OCTOPUS-Office
- OCTOPUS-Online
Get all information on our new module OCTOPUS-Performance for OCTOPUS-Onboard!
Amarcon is Broadband@sea's New Platform Partner
Amarcon is a solution provider for optimizing routing and decision support for all types of seagoing vessels. She has now become partner of the Platform Broadband@Sea. Her experience in hardware & software products and developments to improve safety and efficiency in the maritime industry, can contribute to the platform.
Amarcon is a Dutch company and is current market leader in measuring ship and offshore hydrodynamics to predict ship performance in waves. Amarcon's specialized consultancy service advises and implements solutions for customer's requirements, off-the-shelf or tailor designed. Her system 'OCTOPUS' measures and predicts vessel performance in all kind of wave and weather conditions, to provide immediate speed and routing decision support for the ship's master. Combining recorded data with fuel consumption and maintenance data, allows analysis that will help achieve the most recent environmental fuel consumption reduction challenges.
Amarcon visits OTC Houston
Leon Adegeest (Managing Director) and Jaap Jan Stoker (Project Engineer) will visit the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston May 3 - 6 - 2010. If you would like to meet them there, please send an email to sales(at)amarcon.com and we will arrange a meeting if the schedule allows it. Therefore send an email now!
Dutch National Celebration days
Please be informed that Amarcon offices will be closed on:
Friday April 30, due to the national celebration of Queens Day. On Monday May 3 we will again be at your disposal;
Wednesday May 5, due to the national celebration of liberation day. On Thursday May 6 we will again be at your disposal;
Thursday May 13, due to the celebration of Ascension Day. On Friday May 14 we will again be at your disposal.
For more information on Amarcon, please visit our website www.amarcon.com.
Marin and Amarcon deliver Monitas JIP software
Amarcon and Marin deliver 3rd generation software for Advisory Monitoring Systems within MONITAS JIP, a Joint Industry Project. MONITAS JIP (hereafter shortly "MONITAS") is an ongoing international project for the development of advisory structural health monitoring systems concerning fatigue. The project was initiated by MARIN in 2006 and comprises currently of 16 participants worldwide:
Amarcon was selected as development partner because of her experience with OCTOPUS-Onboard software development. Amarcon will be responsible for the programming of the interface with data acquisition systems, integration of processing algorithms, GUI & display, data storage and communication. Also 1st line support will be provided by Amarcon.
Background and objectives
From the very beginning of offshore exploration it has been well known that permanently moored offshore installations are continuously subjected to sea actions. Even though vessel designers are aware of this, it has not prevented many FPSOs suffered from fatigue damage and costly repairs. These failures often come as a surprise to operators because there are no hull integrity monitoring systems installed. In addition, industry records show that many existing structural monitoring projects have floundered because they did not provide effective data processing and interpretation tools.
The objective of the Monitas project is to change this situation by developing a state-of-the-art Advisory Monitoring System (AMS).
Advisory Monitoring Systems
AMS comprises a Hull Monitoring System which will include software named OCTOPUS-MONITAS. This software shows, explains and advices on fatigue integrity of FPSO?s. It explains reasons for potential deviation of the actual fatigue consumption from design predictions and translates the monitoring data into operational guidance and advice in an easily understandable format. As a consequence it also provides designers with feedback on the quality of their design tools.
Status
The MONITAS project includes development of specifications and methodology for the implementation of AMS onboard of an FPSO. In addition MONITAS software has been developed in cooperation with Amarcon. This dedicated software is setup and operates within the widely used OCTOPUS framework, which originates from Amarcon. The MONITAS software can easily be tailored for any particular FPSO. The system has been validated with success on the Bluewater FPSO Glas Dowr by installing AMS onboard. The software will be ready for the market on 1st July 2010.
For more information on this project, please visit Marin at the Dutch pavillion at OTC Houston, 3 to 6 May 2010, stand no. 2329.
OCTOPUS-Onboard
The OCTOPUS-Onboard monitoring and advisory system can be installed on a standard PC provided by you. Or Amarcon can also provide a turn-key completely pre-installed and configured PC on trial basis. The PC only has to be connected to a GPS (optionally also a gyro) and power supply. Connection to a PC which can receive e-mails with weather forecasts is a benefit. Typical installation time onboard, after preparation, is one day.
OCTOPUS-Onboard, more benefits of the advisory system:
- Heavy weather decision support: Clear heading and speed advice for the crew, preventing damage to vessel and cargo;
- Objective translation of wave info (measured, observed or forecast) to the impact on the vessel in terms of accelerations, motions, etc;
- Higher degree of utilization of the vessel is obtained when operating in waves with wave or response limitations;
- Alarm functions if ship response criteria (motions, accelerations, angles, stresses, water on deck, waves, etc) are about to be exceeded;
- Clear and accurate calculation of the workability window. For example: lifting operations;
- Onshore database, suitable for Benchmarking, performance monitoring and maintenance verification;
- Easy to configure to specific needs;
- Long track record of successful use of the OCTOPUS system by major operators in different markets (offshore construction vessels, pipe-laying vessels, LNG-tankers, shuttle tankers, container vessels, navy vessels, heavy lift, heavy cargo transport, RoRo,..).
The OCTOPUS suite of products
Major components in the OCTOPUS Suite of products are:
- OCTOPUS-Office, a hydrodynamic analysis program for the calculation of sea-keeping characteristics of ships and other floating structures, with or without forward speed;
- OCTOPUS-Onboard, a state-of-the-art modular decision support system for ships and other floating structures;
- OCTOPUS-Online, a next generation internet service that allows ship and cargo owners to constantly be informed of the status of their property and that incorporates a database where all logged voyage information is logged and available for maintenance planning and evaluation of performance.
Interested in a presentation?
If you are interested to find out more about our OCTOPUS-suite of products, please contact us for more information or to make an appointment for a presentation.
More information?
For more detailed product descriptions and the latest news, please visit our website www.amarcon.com.
If we can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us. Send an email to sales(at)amarcon.com or call to +31-529 436 876.
MAR 2010 - MEET AMARCON AT SEATEC HELSINKI 2010, 13TH - 16TH APRIL, HELSINKI EXHIBITION AND CONVENTION CENTRE.
MAR 2010 - RELEASE OF OCTOPUS-OFFICE 6
This new version OCTOPUS-Office 6.1.5 is free to download for all OCTOPUS-Office 6 licensees with Service Agreement. Please log on to the Amarcon website (www.amarcon.com) using your personal login codes and click on the latest version to start the download.
FEB 2010 - HOEGH ORDERS OCTOPUS-ONBOARD EXTENSION FOR DYNAMIC POSITIONING
Hoegh LNG ordered OCTOPUS-Onboard, extended with weather windows for Dynamic Positioning and sloshing decision support for her LNG Carrier Suez Neptune.
LNG SRV's are exposed to waves, wind and current. One of the critical phenomena during offloading is sloshing. Therefore a heading control scenario will be implemented based on the use of weather forecasts info within a customized version of OCTOPUS-Onboard. This system includes the characteristics of the Dynamic Positioning System and will be configured for the combined use of Nowcast of waves and motions, high-quality frequent weather forecasts, standard discharge procedure, option to simulate the effect of possible variants of the discharge procedure, the DP-capability of the vessel, ship responses to wind, current and waves and limitations given in the owner's specifications.
All the results are presented in clear displays on time scale and as actual values. The development has been done in close co-operation with Hoegh and its suppliers.
FEB 2010 - ROLLDOCK ORDERS OCTOPUS-PORTABLE SURVEYOR BOX FOR 2ND TRANSPORT
Rolldock Shipping BV leases the OCTOPUS-Portable Surveyor Box (OCTOPUS PSB) to complete a transport of a ship's manifold to South Korea. The OCTOPUS-PSB has been installed onboard the Dong Bang Giant no. 2, a heavy lift transport carrier that is owned by Dong Bang Shipping. The system has been configured for the purpose of motion monitoring, response prediction, route evaluation and heavy-weather decision support.
All data assembled by the turnkey OCTOPUS-Onboard system will be available at OCTOPUS-Online, a secure website where all parties can access their own part of the site to retrieve required data like current location and status of a vessel, the forecasted vessel responses, the route plan, ETA and fuel consumption. Daily reports can be created and send to the client/cargo owner
JAN 2010 - AMARCON CONSULTANCY - STUDY CYCLONE MOORING FOR BOSKALIS
Boskalis asked Amarcon's consultancy department to make a study of Tropical Cyclone Mooring for the dredger CSD Leonardo Da Vinci and the tug Katea, both working in Australian seas. The analysis included:
- creation of 3D hull models,
- calculation of wave (drift) loads and hydrodynamic properties,
- estimation of underwater drag and wind loading,
- implementation of the mooring characteristics in the dynamic analysis model,
- dynamic analysis to include static loads (wind, current) wave frequent and low frequent wave excitation,
- mass, damping and mooring effects and
- preparation of the summary report with conclusions
JAN 2010 - HEEREMA INSTALLED CUSTOMIZED OCTOPUS-ONBOARD SYSTEM ON BALDER
Heerema Marine Contractors, world leader in heavy lift and crane operations, ordered OCTOPUS-Onboard for the semi-submersible pipe-lay vessel Balder. OCTOPUS-Onboard has been customized and equipped with a MARIN measurement system and weather forecast to predict fatigue. Onboard decision support is given to minimize fatigue damage of the J-Lay Tower during the transport.
JAN 2010 - FIRST TRANSPORT WITH OCTOPUS-PORTABLE SURVEYOR BOX COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY
The first transport with the OCTOPUS-Portable Surveyor Box (OCTOPUS-PSB) has been completed successfully! In December 2009 Rolldock leased the OCTOPUS-PSB on behalf of BP/SBM Offshore for the first Skarv Project.
The turnkey OCTOPUS-Onboard system was installed onboard the Yuan Jing, a heavy lift transport carrier owned by Cosco. The system was configured for the purpose of motion monitoring, response prediction, route evaluation and heavy-weather decision support.
JAN 2010 - NEW: OCTOPUS-PORTABLE SURVEYOR BOX
Amarcon's latest product is the OCTOPUS-Portable Surveyor Box (OCTOPUS-PSB), an easy to use, standalone OCTOPUS-Onboard lease system that can be used for motion monitoring, response prediction, route evaluation and heavy-weather decision support.
OCTOPUS-PSB comprehends a complete OCTOPUS-Onboard system, packed in an unbreakable suitcase. The system has its own GPS, satellite communication and UPS. Amarcon is able to provide immediate monitoring and controlling support by logging in to OCTOPUS-PSB from the office.
Leasing per month of OCTOPUS-PSB includes support, access to OCTOPUS-Online and a weather forecast subscription including SPOS Seakeeping.
