The OCTOPUS Energy Management System is a decision-support tool to minimize the overall energy costs for individual vessels and whole fleets. It compares and analyzes the historical and current operational data of the vessel, then calculates and advises on areas for improvement with easy-to-understand displays. The Solution consists of onboard & onshore modules for energy monitoring and optimization.

The OCTOPUS Power Plant Optimization module helps the operator to control and manage the optimum energy balance onboard. It calculates and advises the optimum load sharing between the various producers such as diesel generators, shaft motors, main engine, waste-heat recovery and batteries.

ABB has developed an office-based tool, accessible through the Fleet Portal module, which estimates and forecasts the hull and propeller fouling. This is based on an advanced data model of the vessel which enables an exact propulsion power breakdown. The hull cleaning and scheduling tool helps to plan the cleaning schedule and to calculate the return on investment.

With dynamic trim optimization the operating crew will receive advice on the optimum trim in any operating conditions, including variations in speed, draft, water depth, wind and waves. Depending on the vessel type and operational profile, the savings potential can be up to 5% of propulsion energy cost.

Fluctuations in propeller RPM is a source of significant energy losses.Using speed/RPM advice the losses reduce significantly to 1%, improving the propulsion energy consumption significantly. The optimum speed/RPM profile is calculated by using intended route, required ETA, weather forecast and vessel characteristics.

ABB’s advanced motion monitoring comprises a very reliable set of instruments designed for the measurement of ship motions. The technology was developed in co-operation with MARIN and end-users. The advanced motion monitoring set-up is designed to deliver highly stable measurements with a minimum of internal disturbance. The system is the perfect cost-efficient solution when it comes to measuring motions, velocities and accelerations of vessels with a high degree of accuracy and a large flexibility.

To measure motion, velocities and accelerations, ABB’s onboard Marine Software system is connected with either one or three motion sensor(s) which are installed on the vessel. The obtained information can be stored and displayed real-time. The One Sensor System is widely used on container vessels. It measures the angle and period of roll and pitch. This setup is used in combination with ABB’s Onboard Marine Software suite to detect the risk for parametric roll. The sensor is directly connected to the Marine Software PC on the bridge.

Three Sensor Advanced Motion Monitoring is used for installation on vessels where a higher degree of accuracy is required or on vessels where multiple critical locations have to be monitored.

Typical applications are Heavy Lift vessels and Crane vessels. With a three-sensor setup the system can monitor motions, velocities and accelerations in real-time in any virtual sensor location, typically the cargo CoG, a crane tip or a container position. In addition to this, a separate sensor can be placed on the cargo to measure cargo accelerations directly.

Benefits
1. High accuracy at an affordable price
2. Stand-alone or as integral part of ABB’s Onboard Marine Software suite
3. Virtual sensor function allows real-time monitoring in any location
4. Measurement data retrievable via ABB’s fleet portal

ABB's Portable Surveyor Box is an easy to use standalone Onboard system that offers full decision support functionality for the duration of a project.

In this way the following are made available for important temporary projects:

• motion monitoring
• weather forecasts
• response prediction
• route evaluation
• heavy weather decision support

ABB's Portable surveyor box comprehends a complete flexible and robust system packed in a single unbreakable suitcase and incorporating its own GPS, Satellite communication and UPS. In addition, authorized persons can perform remote monitoring from any computer with web access, by using ABB's Fleet Portal.

Fatigue rate indicator and advisory system
Heerema Marine Contractor's Balder has been equipped with a strain gauges and accelerometers to monitor the accumulated fatigue damage and fatigue rate. A tailor-made Marine Software system has been installed to display the results, to forecast the fatigue rate and to guide the navigators over the Atlantic Ocean with the minimum risk for excessive fatigue damage to the J-Lay tower. Shore-support has been made possible by the use of the OCTOPUS Fleet portal.

Real-time crane tip monitoring
Real time crane tip monitoring is carried out onboard Jumbo's Fairplayer for accurate lifting and positioning of a heavy precious piece of cargo.

Surveyor Box
The OCTOPUS system can also be delivered as a mobile system in an all-weather proof box.