Condition Based Maintenance Programme Successfully Implemented for Large Cargo and Freight Carrier

  • Company: Large Cargo and Freight Carrier
  • Industry: Marine
  • Services: CBM Programme, Vibration Analysis, Cloud-based Reporting
  • Location: Global
  • Cost-Saving: £11million over three years

The Overview

In 2018, a leading cargo and freight carrier invited us to tender for a project to review and enhance their existing Condition Based Maintenance (CBM) programme. VCI was selected to improve the client’s CBM programme due to our extensive experience in the maritime market.

The Situation

The previous incumbent had been in place for a long period. However, performance levels were poor with a major failure experienced on every vessel within the fleet at least once per year. An upward trend in maintenance and repair and programme costs was reported. This meant the client was unable to realise the ongoing benefits of CBM and the existing programme was deemed to be uncontrollable. 

The Challenges

Without the need for considerable capital expenditure, the challenge was to turn around a stagnant and under performing CBM programme by utilising and optimising existing maintenance systems throughout the fleet. 

The Solution

The starting point was to review areas for improvement in technology application within the client’s existing CBM online and offline tools. This ranged from the basics of calibrations, to techniques application, and adjustment to re-align with industry, class and benchmarked standards.

Our key approach was continuous improvement. With the correct technology, this gave vessel engineering personnel control over workload to ensure the data was collected at the right time, thus providing the best quality data possible with the available equipment.

Over the last three years, we have improved the existing CBM programme by:

  • Optimising and re-commissioning an online monitoring system
  • Significantly reducing failure rates
  • Implementing a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) mindset with all failure modes
  • Identification of areas where maintenance standards and quality improvements can be made.

One of the biggest areas where we made improvements was communications. Through focused operations and working remotely with vessel crews globally through multiple time zones, our Remote Data Centre operations model enabled data analysis and feedback turnaround within one to two working days, with immediate responses to urgent requirements.

The Results

Over the last three years, the client has reported the following cost avoidance figures:

  • Total cost avoidance currently over £11m with a rapid return of investment for the annual support costs
  • 99.99% of data processed within two days
  • CBM data operations now transferred to our Asset Insight 365 cloud platform
  • Automated data flows to CMMS systems to automatic reporting

The client is now operating a robust, managed and continuous improvement-led vibration programme. We continuing to support the client with the introduction of new technologies to their fleet to provide increased optimisation.