Why does availability start right from the installation stage?

For shipping companies, a fleet’s operational readiness is one of the most important key performance indicators. Any ship that has unplanned downtime in the shipyard or in port – and is therefore out of service – results in losses.

That is why the assessment of a propulsion system does not begin only during operation. Even during construction, assembly costs, systemintegration processes and commissioning influence the subsequent course and cost of the project.

Hybrid propulsion systems consist of a multitude of mechanical, electrical and digital components. If these are supplied by different manufacturers, the integration effort also increases. Schedules must be coordinated, interfaces checked and systems tested together.

It is  during commissioning and sea trials that it becomes apparent how well the individual components work together. If systems from different manufacturers first need to be tested with one another, the project workload is often extended. After delivery , this complexity continues. Maintenance work must be planned, service calls coordinated and spare parts made available.

The more interfaces there are between the individual components, the more challenging coordination and commissioning becomes. This is why solutions in which key components are already technically compatible with one another are becoming increasingly important. This reduces the integration effort and simplifies installation, commissioning and subsequent maintenance.