94 FEATURE This approach extends to redundancy and SRtP compliance. “Overall control systems should be prioritised over individual controls,” says Reunamo. “Vital systems must remain operational, while less critical systems can be isolated efficiently.” Digital tools have become vital to help manage this increased complexity. Many fuel system providers, for example, have introduced monitoring capabilities to automatically stop the fuel supply in the event of a leak. “As alternative fuels and hybrid systems increase the number of operational interfaces, features that reduce the possibility of human error in an increasingly complex system are essential,” says Reunamo. While many digital controls are now automated, Goh says caution needs to be taken when rolling out these features. “Increased engine room automation with sensors and actuators have no doubt helped crews operate and manage their engine rooms, but automation is a double-edged sword,” he says. “Although it reduces workload, increasing automation also means more points of failure and often more difficulty when troubleshooting problems. This was highlighted in March 2024 by the MV Dali incident, where a loose signal wire caused a blackout and loss of ship control with the vessel colliding and destroying the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. This led to huge disruptions to both local traffic and billions of dollars in port trade.” Ultimately, the experts agree that digitalisation cannot replace the fundamentals. That means getting the initial design of the engine room right and installing the correct equipment from the outset. From a predictive maintenance perspective, it also means establishing the right data foundation. “Subscription-type preventive maintenance schemes from engine makers are very good, but many operators are dissuaded by the high cost of the service,” says Goh. “This has led to the growth of third-party suppliers and consultants who claim to provide the same service at a fraction of the cost. Regardless of who delivers the service, issues such as correct sensor installation, sensor reliability and interference-free data logging can complicate, or completely undermine, preventive maintenance efforts.” Despite advanced automation and digitalisation, the modern engine room remains a space where human expertise is irreplaceable. “Even with advanced systems and high levels of automation, there are still many ways to operate a vessel,” says Elg. “To achieve maximum efficiency, crews must understand not only the fundamentals, but also the specific ship and its systems. That’s why we are increasingly supporting operators with training on SRtP situations to ensure that crew can operate a specific ship in the worst-case scenarios. We are also providing energy efficiency courses that concentrate on overall efficient operation.” Goh agrees, adding that while the move towards new fuels, systems and technologies is exciting, humans will remain at the heart of the engine room for the foreseeable future. “Electrification is a defining mega-trend of sustainable transportation and presents an opportunity for ship machinery systems to be designed for unmanned and autonomous operation,” he says. “However, shipping is still many decades away from such a future, since the development of fuel cells and hydrogen handling systems takes time. Until then, experience and hands-on time in the engine room are still of the utmost importance for legacy internal combustion engines and their support systems.” “ Experience and hands-on time in the engine room are still of the utmost importance” Ken Goh, KNUD E. HANSEN KNUD E. HANSEN has designed engine rooms, like the one on RSV Nuyina, for multiple ship operators Photo: KNUD E HANSEN
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