Marine Instrumentation

Proper Use of the Correct Instrumentation Is Important

– a Sensor Is Not Just a Sensor

Today’s fleet is generally becoming highly sophisticated operations with equally sophisticated equipment on board. And controlling all this sophisticated equipment correctly and preventing breakdowns is crucial to a smooth and cost-effective operation. Choosing the correct instrument for measuring the processes on board is not only a good idea seen from a practical aspect, but investing the time and possibly a little extra money on instrumentation that is ideal for the task, can ultimately save the vessel both cost and unnecessary interference for the crew on board.

Measurements are used all over the modern ship in order to keep equipment running at optimum conditions. Everything from critical installations such as main engines, auxiliary engines, steering and navigation to other installations such as cranes, cargo pumps and wastewater handling can and should be monitored with optimization in mind. Optimization of processes on board a ship can contribute to better earnings and lower emissions – even if the realized optimization is only constituted by fewer unplanned interruptions such as maintenance works and breakdowns.

A malfunctioning viscosity sensor can cause lower exploitation of the fuel due to wrongful combustion; a hydraulic failure on a crane can cause delay in port operations and interrupt the planned schedule; incorrect ballast control can impact vessel stability and trim causing anything from slightly lower performance to accidents and undetected leaks in cargo and fuel tanks can cause dangerous situations or even lead to disaster.

Choosing the correct instrument for a specific task can be challenging, as a myriad of variations of a single instrument often exist. And just going by the most expensive option or for something that has been recommended, is not always the right way, as the process and media in which the instrument should be installed is what determines what measurement principle and setup should be chosen. Degradation is caused very differently based on what the instrument is exposed to, and one instrument suited for one place on board might be unsuitable for another; a different pressure might cause inaccurate reading or mechanical failure and a different media could do the same. 

Across the specialists at Insatech, we have the knowledge and experience to find the right instrument for your specific application as well as we can guide you to install it correctly. Making your operation as smooth and efficient as possible is always our goal with our counselling and services, as your success leads to our success!