Since the launch of Podium, now known as Podium5, last year we have frequently been asked two questions; what is Voyage Informatics and what can Podium5 do?
What is Voyage Informatics?
Simply put, this is the discipline of collecting and applying all the voyage related data and applying it to use cases. Podium5 is the voyage informatics platform, where the data is made available and can be assembled and analysed. Use cases vary depending on the role of the user in the voyage and can include ship owners, ship managers, charterers and others. Each stakeholder may have a different perspective and demands from the available data.
What can Podium5 do?
All voyage related data can be connected to Podium5. When considering the number of available data points that might otherwise sit isolated on a cluttered desktop it isn’t difficult to appreciate this is a very powerful tool. With the connection of multiple data points it is possible to monitor a broader scope of voyage parameters and identify trends in performance in new ways.
Performance broadly comprises voyage, hull and machinery and the use cases in Podium5 are made up of sub-sets of data applied to specific areas under these main headings. Views are constructed which are made up of data cards. Cards may themselves be made up of several data points.
The Views and Cards are completely adjustable by the user, including the metric displayed, colour, name of card, position and size, etc. Once a View has been populated with relevant Cards rules, alerts and notifications can be applied giving the user confidence non-conforming conditions will not be missed.
Data is, at a minimum, collected with a progressive web application “on board” noon report logging system. There is an immediate transfer of data to Podium5, as soon as there is a connection. Increasingly, additional fuel consumption streaming data sources such as flowmeters and emissions are delivering more granular metrics. Podium5 benefits from a growing Connected Community of sensors and solutions.
What does that look like?
Here is a View put together recently. Fuel represents money and emissions, so it is no surprise a number of Views have been developed related to aspects of fuel consumption and regulation. Beyond simply monitoring speed and consumption efficiency, there are a growing number of additional fuel data applications. For example, ship’s main and auxiliary engines can consume fuel oil or gas oil. Fuel selection in international trading vessels is often dictated by regulatory requirements such as IMO MARPOL Annex VI, relating to the SOx Emission Control Areas (ECA).
Since January 2020 the maximum permitted sulphur content in fuel oil is 0.5%, and in ECA the maximum permissible sulphur content is 0.1%. For ships not fitted with exhaust gas cleaning systems (often called scrubbers) these requirements result in burning VLSFO (Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil), having Sulphur <0.5%, and also gas oil, having Sulphur <0.1%, when entering ECA. It is important to monitor these change overs as a failure to do so can result in adding significant voyage costs either from excess consumption of expensive fuel or fines from failures to comply with regulations.
Podium5 enables users to monitor fuel is being changed in accordance with international regulations whilst both ensuring compliance and optimising voyage costs. In this example main engine and auxiliary consumptions are monitored constantly. By connecting additional data points such as ship’s position with reference to polygons showing ECA (North America west coast), alerts and notifications can be generated to ensure fuel has been changed over prior to the vessel entering the ECA.
Once the View, Cards and rules have been configured it is easy to add new vessels and create a fleet monitoring capability. This significantly reduces the risks associated with fuel changes.
We look forward to showing you more Podium5 uses cases and, if there is one you would particularly like to see, just contact us.
Stay connected and safe.