{mprestriction ids="1,2"}Danelec’s second-generation DanelecConnect platform, launched last year, will be used to capture data from shipboard sensors for use in NAPA’s Cloud-based applications via a newly developed application programming interface (API).

“This partnership with Danelec Marine eliminates one of the biggest barriers to delivering a true integrated IoT experience to ship owners, operators and charterers,” said Pekka Pakkanen, director, development, NAPA Shipping Solutions.

“Until now, accessing timely data from ships at sea has been challenging, typically requiring bespoke shipboard data collection and processing networks with connections to hundreds of data points. Often this involves custom interfaces with older legacy equipment or slow and sometimes unreliable manual data entry by ships’ personnel. This has been manageable for some big companies, but on chartered vessels, for example, the initial investment has often been too high.”

“DanelecConnect’s universal data interface and wide service network solve these problems, enabling visibility into ships’ performance parameters from shore at a far lower cost. With this solution, we can add value with high-quality analytics and optimisation for a much wider range of vessels, including time chartered vessels.”

DanelecConnect uses an electronic remote server that connects with data sources on board, such as the VDR, collecting and processing the desired datasets for transmission via satellite to Danelec’s Cloud-based server ashore.

NAPA pulls this data from DanelecConnect into its NAPA Office and NAPA Ship Performance Analytics platforms, connecting to its business intelligence services to examine areas like machinery monitoring, fuel efficiency and hull condition analysis. This allows users to set key performance indicators and benchmarks, and use statistical modelling to predict performance.

“Our automatic data collection package is a technology spinoff from our VDR business,” said Danelec Marine CEO, Hans Ottosen.

“As one of the largest suppliers of marine VDRs, we have many years of experience in interfacing with all types of data sources on ships. We’re now applying that accumulated expertise to the problem of capturing data and making it available to the maritime Cloud-based specialists like NAPA, so they can focus on what they do best – providing ship operators, charterers and other maritime stakeholders with crucial data for better decision making ashore.”

The onboard interface for the Danelec system has been configured to transmit data through narrowband satellite channels to keep transmissions costs at a minimum, which the company says will allow hundreds or even thousands of data samples per sensor to be transferred for just a few dollars per day.

The first joint NAPA/Danelec Marine IoT system has already undergone successful sea trials, with further installations scheduled in 2018, the companies said.{/mprestriction}