Vibration monitoring for maritime transportation

Maritime transportation is a big deal, accounting for approximately 80% of today's international trade logistics with volumes of seaborne trade having almost doubled over the last 20 years with around 11 billion tons loaded. The upward trend correlates with the advent of containerised trade and the streamlining of supply chains between container ports globally.

Despite the major challenges stemming from global crises, such as the war in Ukraine, maritime transportation has proven to be resilient with trade expected to grow by around 3% from 2024 to 2028.

Given the scale and importance of this global trade, ensuring the highest level of safety is paramount and is why vibration monitoring systems have become an established tool in helping to achieve optimum safety on board oil tankers and other cargo ships.

Today's vibration monitoring systems are designed to detect and analyse vibrations in various equipment, enabling the early identification of potential mechanical issues, helping to prevent breakdowns and accidents. For example, detecting abnormal vibration patterns in machinery such as; engines, pumps, compressors and generators. Also, identifying mechanical problems like misalignment, imbalance, bearing wear and other issues that can lead to equipment failure. They also provide operators and maintenance engineers with real-time data for timely decision-making and intervention.

The key components in Sensonics vibration monitoring systems include:

Vibration sensor: these are strategically placed on machinery to measure vibrations, whilst also detecting vibration intensity, frequency and direction.

Data acquisition system: this collects data from the sensors and converts it to usable information.

Signal processing and analysis software: this collects data which is processed and analysed to determine vibration patterns and deviations from normal conditions.

Display and notification interface: this provides visual displays, alarms and notifications to alert operators and maintenance engineers about abnormal levels

Implementing vibration monitoring systems delivers several benefits. For example; early detection of vibration anomalies promotes proactive maintenance before issues escalate. Reduced downtime is a further benefit: timely maintenance based on vibration data can prevent unexpected breakdowns, reducing downtime and associated costs. Preventative maintenance is often more cost-effective than reactive repairs.

Then there is safety enhancement: detecting issues before they lead to catastrophic failures enhances crew safety and prevents accidents. Other benefits include:

Extending equipment life: regular monitoring and maintenance can extend the operational life of machinery

Data-driven decision making: data collected can inform equipment replacement or overhaul decisions.

Efficiency: machines that run to full capacity produce less emissions and pollution and are much smoother to operate.

Sensonics offers a wide range of proven monitoring systems, which can help to detect potential issues, before things get out-of-hand. By detecting and addressing mechanical issues early our vibration monitoring equipment can make a valuable contribution to efficient operations, helping to prevent accidents and downtime.