NYK to evaluate AI-based Wärtsilä predictive maintenance solution

With Expert Insight, specialists at Wärtsilä Expertise Centers support customers by providing proactive advice and recommendations to maintain the operational efficiency of their vessels. [Image: © Wärtsilä]

Japanese shipping giant Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) and its affiliated Monohakobi Technology Institute (MTI) have signed an optimized maintenance agreement under which they will evaluate Wärtsilä’s Expert Insight predictive maintenance service for possible implementation throughout its entire NYK fleet.

The evaluation will be carried out on two LNG carriers, the Marvel Falcon and LNG Sakura, which both operate with Wärtsilä dual-fuel engines.

The program will evaluate the analytics and support service provided by Expert Insight, in combination with the Wärtsilä Optimized Maintenance Lifecycle solution.

Expert Insight leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced diagnostics to monitor equipment and systems in real-time, spot anomalies, foresee potential problems, and enable a rapid response. Should anomalous behavior be detected, it is flagged to specialists at Wärtsilä Expertise Centers, allowing them to support the customer proactively with an appropriate resolution to the issue. The combination of AI, advanced diagnostics, and the company’s extensive equipment expertise enhances the reliability, efficiency, and safety of the installed equipment.

“NYK has already commenced operating an Expert-in-the Loop service at our Remote Diagnostics Centre in Manila,” says Shogo Yamada, manager, Marine Group, NYK Line. “This anomaly detection system oversees the entire engine plant, and we are confident that the complementing expertise from both our companies will result in the best possible support for our vessels.

“By leveraging big data and artificial intelligence, the maritime industry can greatly increase its efficiency, safety, and competitiveness, and we are keen to take advantage of this wherever possible. We are excited at the possibilities provided by Wärtsilä’s Expert Insight and look forward to the results from this program.”

“When we introduced Expert Insight as part of the Optimised Maintenance program, it was pointed out that it takes predictive maintenance to the next level” says Tateo Miyagawa, managing director, Wärtsilä Japan. “This is rapidly proving to be the case, and we are happy to cooperate with NYK/MTI in demonstrating the commercial value and benefits the system offers to them by delivering greater vessel uptime, less unscheduled maintenance, and lower operating costs while optimizing their ships’ performance.”