The Finnish-based consulting and engineering company Deltamarin hosted a seminar during SMM 2010 in Hamburg on the occasion of celebrating 20 years this year. The company also published a book titled "Leading the Way towards Sustainable Maritime Future."

The theme of the seminar was "The future challenges for ship design and engineering." The maritime industry sees growing pressure from legislation to decrease emissions and to function in a more sustainable manner. On the other hand the cost pressure is increasing in all fields of maritime activities. Deltamarin sees that both demands can be satisfied simultaneously. Taking sustainability into account during concept development can lead to cost reductions when there is a holistic, knowledgeable approach to the entire process.

Present at the anniversary seminar were Deltamarin’s Managing Director Mika Laurilehto with other speakers being Sales Director for Contracting Services, Markku Kanerva and Development Manager Esa Jokioinen. The presentations at the event outlined Deltamarin's vision on how to combine cost efficiency with sustainability.

Through its 20 years, Deltamarin welcomed the most challenging projects in the industry thus constantly increasing the competence of its personnel. Deltamarin has developed numerous novel prototype vessels and is known for its pioneering work with 3D design. Today Deltamarin offers consulting, design, engineering and contracting services to a wide international clientele. Deltamarin’s customers represent many maritime industries, such as the offshore, shipping, shipbuilding and naval industries. Deltamarin group employs 400 engineers and specialists in their own fields. The head office is located in Raisio in Finland, but the company has offices in Helsinki and Rauma as well. Deltamarin group operates internationally in Poland, Croatia, Monaco, Shanghai and Shandong in China as well as Malaysia. In recent years Deltamarin has focused on developing Contracting Services, a service that is intended for newbuildings and conversions.

Wärtsilä's Propulsion Condition Monitoring Service (PCMS) provides up-to-date and in-depth condition analysis, which enables customers to minimize their operational risks through early fault detection, leading to a reduction in the lifecycle costs of their assets. 

Wärtsilä announces the launch of a unique Propulsion Condition Monitoring Service (PCMS), designed to provide customers with real-time data and advanced analytics on the condition of a vessel's propulsion equipment. Ship owners will have access to information and analysis needed to ensure that propulsion systems operate at peak efficiency throughout their lifecycle.  

PCMS's advanced data-collection and state-of-the-art analysis, combined with Wärtsilä's deep understanding of marine propulsion, offers ship owners a unique and significant set of benefits. PCMS allows ship operators to prevent damage and lower life cycle costs, as well as limit their vessel's environmental impact by keeping propulsion systems operating at high efficiency. The need for periodical inspection of propulsion equipment can be eliminated by successfully integrating PCMS in the maintenance programme.

The new system, adapted from the remote monitoring architecture Wärtsilä developed for its successful engine monitoring service, is the first of its kind in the marine propulsion market. Wärtsilä's system combines sensory data such as vibrations, pressures, and temperatures with the operational parameters of the propulsion equipment, such as pitch, steering feedback and set points.

In addition, it takes into consideration the nautical parameters like vessel speed, rate of turn and draught, thereby giving the customer the unique ability to accurately relate sensory data to the actual operating conditions. The system has been developed to detect the operational states of the propulsion equipment through real-time comparisons of parameters from multiple sources. It is also the first commercial product to measure vibrations on the inside of thrusters using sensors located right next to bearings and gears.