By Christie U. Omonigho
Shell Marine says it has launched a new technical service – “Shell Marine Sensor Service” (SMSS), an onboard monitoring service that would provide real-time insights into oil and equipment condition, helping shipping operators improve vessel uptime and operational resilience.
Shell said the new service will also act as a “digital deckhand,” continuously monitoring oil condition to help crews manage and maintain equipment across a vessel proactively to prevent unplanned downtime.
In an email statement to Energy Window International (Media), Shell said the SMSS was not only and specifically designed to detect maintenance issues early, it also allows crews to act on them before they become critical. It will also help prevent equipment failure while unlocking the opportunity to optimize oil top-ups and extend oil drain intervals in high-speed engines.
Shell said it identified machinery damage or failure as the number one cause of shipping incidents and casualties in 2024 (accounting for 56% of the total). Thus SMSS will help operators address this issue by providing crews with greater visibility over equipment health and greater control over vessel resilience.
Specifically built for marine environments, the plug-and-play system therefore comprises just two components – an inline sensor and a pre-configured display alongside a simple traffic-light interface. It works offline and provides readings on equipment condition 24/7 to give crews instant onboard alerts when issues like water ingress and oil degradation occur, Shell said.
EWI Publishers gathers that with the new service, “crews are not alone at sea”. With onboard alerts, sensor data can be shared with the Company’s shore-based Technical Experts who are expected to quickly carry out deeper analysis, as well as monitor the trend while on course. This also enables Shell to provide tailored recommendations that will equally help crew members translate data into safe, confident action.
Houda Dabboussi, President of Shell Marine, said: “One of the biggest challenges our customers face is how to keep operations resilient while managing costs. Shell Marine Sensor Service helps operators and crews address that challenge by enabling them to act on issues earlier, extend equipment life and reduce the risk of costly downtime.”
Marcus Schaerer, Shell Marine General Manager of Technical and Services, further added “While the sensor may be a simple two-component device, the beauty of this solution lies in the advice that our Technical Experts provide. With over a century of maritime experience and our vast database of lubricant test results, we can provide customers with invaluable insights for safer and more efficient voyages.”
Shell explained: “SMSS builds on a vessel’s existing maintenance practices and complements sample-based oil condition analysis. Providing continuous oil condition data, it bridges the gap between shore-based tests, flagging anomalies that occur between samples and highlighting issues that might otherwise go unseen until it is too late.”
Available to use for all engine types, SMSS helps crews to adopt a proactive, condition-based approach to maintaining equipment.
It also adds to Shell’s existing oil condition monitoring portfolio, including Shell LubeAnalyst and Shell LubeMonitor. “Together, they offer a full suite of solutions designed to help operators improve vessel uptime, reduce maintenance costs and optimize oil drain intervals.”