While simply cutting budget to protect profitability is in most cases a false economy - it is the best maintainers who operate at the lowest overall cost - condition based maintenance (CBM) cuts cost for ship owners.
The first Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) Condition Based Maintenance Conference, with its theme ‘optimised maintenance for improved value and return on investment’, sets out to show how CBM works, and to make the business case, demonstrating that it is now the most flexible, efficient, clean - reducing emissions, safe and, most importantly, profitable approach to maintenance for owners. The conference will be held at IMarEST Headquarters at 80 Coleman Street, London EC2R 5BJ, UK on Tuesday 28 and Wednesday 29 September 2010. It has already attracted IFM Electronics and James Fisher MIMIC Ltd as sponsors.
“To cut costs CBM must be properly implemented as a replacement of, rather than an addition to, traditional planned machinery maintenance,” explains the joint chairman of the conference, Capt Kuba Szymanski, Secretary General Elect, InterManager and Bob Hargreaves, Technical Director, RCM Marine who are both delivering presentations during the two day event. “This can now be achieved, since new condition monitoring (CM) technologies are becoming increasingly mature.”
“This new conference is a valuable asset for IMarEST members and non-members alike as it addresses the issues - reduction of cost, reduction of emissions, increased safety and increased profitability - that are very much the current major concerns of the maritime industry,” says Dr Marcus Jones, Chief Executive of IMarEST. “It should be considered totally unmissable by those involved in planning or delivering maintenance strategies, we can certainly offer our delegates new insights into how ship owners and operators can take full advantage of an optimised maintenance programme and boost profits. Their two days will be extraordinarily well spent. Indeed, they can most certainly expect a return on their investment in attending such an information-packed two days.”
Following a scene setting keynote address by Richard Greiner, Shipping Partner, Moore Stephens LLP who will be focussing on maintenance costs, the conference will provide valuable insights into establishing a successful CBM programme; criticality assessments; benefits of a risk based approach; advantages of planning a CBM strategy and installing CM into new builds; the lack of maintenance specialists - asking the question ‘why is industry not investing?’; cutting edge CM technology; Class requirements; consequences of deviations from OEM; and maintenance and emission control. There will also be case histories covering cruise ships, naval experience of integrating a fleet-wide CM strategy; and a new approach to engine performance analysis. It will also include a demonstration of a remote CM system.
The importance of networking is well recognised by IMarEST and there will be a conference reception on 28 September as well as networking opportunities first thing in the morning, at lunch and at coffee and tea breaks throughout both days.
The full programme and registration is online at www.imarest.org/events with an early bird discount for those registering before 31 August 2010.
Source: BYM Marine & Maritime News http://www.bymnews.com/