Marine Maintenance Technology International - April 2016

(^20) ⠿ MARINE MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL | APRIL 2016
⠿ CONDITION-BASED MAINTENANCE
Lifecycle solutions
E
ffective maintenance is inextricably
linked with the operational
efficiency of a ship. It is estimated
that 10-15% of total vessel
operational costs are directly influenced by
maintenance, repair and overhaul, as well
as having an indirect effect on consumables
costs, such as spare parts and labor.
Conventional practice among shipowners
and operators has been to employ a time-
based maintenance approach to ships’
machinery and equipment, with the
maintenance and component replacement
schedule determined by running hours
or prescribed overhaul intervals. Against
the backdrop of the unremitting drive for
heightened cost competitiveness, this long-
held norm is now being challenged by the
ever-greater sophistication of shipboard
machinery and systems, and by the rapidly
escalating impact of the big data revolution
on marine engineering and ships’ changing
operational environments.
CBM defined
Condition monitoring is the actual
technology; condition-based maintenance
(CBM) is a process and dedicated
maintenance strategy. Only about 2% of
the classed world fleet currently employs
some form of CBM. However, bearings and