The goal for any shipowner or fleet manager is to keep vessels running as efficiently as possible. But if interruptions and problems do occur, it is vital there is a service partner on hand to fix the problem day or night. Steerprop offers customers fast and professional services that can include tailor-made solutions when required. “We offer world-class services to back up our propulsion systems and take pride in ensuring rapid response times”, says Mr Kai Arvela, Director, Service and Procurement at Steerprop.
Steerprop designs and manufactures propulsion systems with reliability and easy maintenance in mind. This is backed up with our world-class services, which are available globally through an extensive network of international partners. We really ensure that our customers get the necessary attention they require after the sales process.
We are a true partner that quickly helps our customers.
Every propulsor is tested at Steerprop’s factory as an entire unit before delivery to the customer. Our propulsor units will provide safe and efficient operation for many years ahead with proper maintenance and correct operational procedures. “We also provide on-request training for the customer’s staff to enable them to acquire the maintenance and operational knowledge they need”, says Mr Arvela.
Services - when and where you need them
Steerprop provides Original Spare Parts to all their systems and units when needed. The propulsors also require service at set intervals.
The standard service intervals are every 5-years, aligning well with the classification societies’ requirements for inspections every 5-years during a docking. Full overhauls are performed every 15 years or 100,000 hours, based on unit load. “General service actions mainly concern the overhaul of rotating seals during drydock. The full overhaul at 15 years also includes the transmission line bearings”, says Mr Samuli Järvinen, Service Manager at Steerprop.
Condition monitoring for enhanced predictability
Steerprop allows shipowners to take a proactive approach and avoid potentially costly breakdowns. By taking such an approach, the need for a full overhaul may be extended based on the condition of the transmission line components. “Steerprop Care, our condition monitoring system, has been included as a fully integrated part of every propulsor delivery since August 2019. The system allows crew members to follow machinery trends and detect deviations that could affect the propulsion system in the future. This offers the highest possible reliability based on enhanced predictability”, explains Mr Arvela.
Steerprop’s ability to utilise Steerprop Care condition monitoring to provide in-depth professional analysis on the data created is a clear value-adding enhancement. This feature can also be integrated as a retrofit in older units.
Steerprop Care is available on three levels. In the basic Standalone Level, which is included in every delivery, the condition monitoring feature is available for customers to utilise in their operations. “This is designed for propulsion monitoring and gives the onboard crew information about alarms, trends, time waveforms and spectrums. If there is a deviation, the crew can ask us to help them with cause analysis”, says Mr Jarkko Sirrola, PDM Manager at Steerprop.
Steerprop’s assistance and valuable analysis results are available through different types of agreements. The next level is Care Plus, which, in addition to basic condition monitoring, transfers data to Steerprop’s experts, who follow the trends and deliver reports to the crew at agreed intervals. “Care Plus monitors the entire propulsion system, including vibration, along with signals and alarms from the control system using advanced techniques based on AI and machine learning. By analysing the data, we can notify a crew well ahead of any development that may cause future disturbances”, says Mr Sirrola.
Care Premium, the top-level agreement
The top-level agreement, Care Premium, has quickly gained popularity among our customers in less than two years. “The remote online connection, which is also available as a retrofit installation, means that the experts in our monitoring centre receive all the data from the propulsor for analysis. In addition to basic monitoring, Care Premium includes additional vibration measurement points monitoring the main electric motor and the lubrication oil”, says Mr Sirrola.
We leave no stone unturned in our search for the cause and the right solution.
According to Mr Sirrola, the oil monitoring system monitors particle levels, water contamination and oil quality. “The main benefit of online oil monitoring is that the customer can prevent faults from emerging and correct a situation ahead of time by ensuring a good lubrication condition throughout the entire lifecycle of the propulsion unit.”
“We can also help the busy Fleet Manager, who finds it tedious to check on the status of several vessels. The subscription service called Fleet Overview provides a real-time dashboard of the condition of an entire fleet’s propulsion systems at a glance. It is browser-based, so all you need is an internet connection. This is super handy for any fleet manager with several vessels to manage”, concludes Mr Kai Arvela.
Contact us to find out how Steerprop Services can enchance your operations.
