10 Key Features to Look for in a Planned Maintenance System for Maritime | A Guide for Ship Owners

A planned maintenance system (PMS) can help you achieve this goal by streamlining your maintenance processes and providing you with real-time insights into your vessel's condition. However, with so many PMS options available in the market, choosing the right one for your maritime operations can be overwhelming. To help you make an informed decision, here are 10 key features to look for in a planned maintenance system.

User-Friendly Interface

A PMS with an intuitive and user-friendly interface can help you save time and effort in navigating the system, creating work orders, and generating reports. Ask for a demonstration of the product to make sure it’s the best fit for you.

Customisable Workflows

Look for a PMS that allows you to customise workflows and tailor maintenance schedules to your vessel's unique requirements. Without customisation, it may be difficult to use your planned maintenance system to its fullest potential as you will be constricted to generic reporting.

Integration with Existing Systems

Your PMS should seamlessly integrate with your vessel's existing systems, such as the asset management system, inventory control system, and procurement system, to avoid duplication of efforts and data entry errors. With streamlined integration in place, it can make it far easier to manage all the elements of your vessel or fleet.

Easy Access

A PMS with easy but secure access can allow your crew members to access and update maintenance information without any complicated sign in processes, ensuring timely and accurate maintenance records. A simple login application can allow for control over who has access to the system. You should also be able to adjust the access privileges of users ensuring your teams only see what they need to see.

Real-Time Monitoring

Real-time monitoring of equipment performance and condition can help you detect potential issues before they turn into costly breakdowns, improving your vessel's reliability and safety. You can also save money on crew requirements, as you won’t need to send teams to manually inspect machinery.

Predictive Maintenance Capabilities

A PMS with predictive maintenance capabilities, such as condition monitoring and predictive analytics, can help you optimise maintenance schedules and reduce maintenance costs. This also means less vessel down-time, so you can make efficiency savings too. By keeping on top of maintenance, you avoid disastrous, costly and potentially time-consuming break downs.

Data Analytics and Reporting

Look for a PMS that provides you with detailed data analytics and reporting capabilities, allowing you to identify trends, track KPIs, and make informed decisions. Most successful business operations can identify areas of improvement thanks to automated reports that use historical data from their planned maintenance system.

Compliance and Regulatory Support

Your PMS should comply with industry standards and regulations, such as SOLAS and ISM Code, and provide you with compliance support and audit trails. If you don’t remain compliant, it can impact on your business resulting in costly fines and down-time. It could also erode trust and business reputation amounting to a loss of clients in the long-term.

Vendor Support and Training

Ensure that your PMS vendor provides you with adequate support and training to ensure a smooth implementation and ongoing maintenance. Make sure the company in question are experts in their sector and have set-up planned maintenance systems for different operations sizes – from small fishing boats to multi-vessel fleets.

Scalability

Look for a PMS that can scale with your business and accommodate future growth and expansion. One of the biggest challenges in the maritime sector is remaining competitive. The planned maintenance system must be flexible to accommodate business development.

In conclusion, selecting the right PMS for your maritime operations is crucial for maintaining your vessel's equipment, ensuring compliance with regulations, and improving your bottom line. Consider these 10 key features when choosing a PMS to make an informed decision that meets your vessel's unique needs.