IoT and opportunities in the maritime industry
How can IoT and sensors optimise operations?
In September, Soolo participated in the Forum for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in Ålesund. Many poeple wanted to learn about how sensors and IoT can be used in the maritime industry. The information sensors give can provide big advantages, cost reductions, and contribute to more efficient operations. The agenda at this seminar was to inform about:
- How to take advantage of IoT on ships.
- What possibilities are there when network coverage is not?
IoT on ships
Exploitation of new technology on ships is often hindered by bad connections to mobile networks. Ships travel in areas with no coverage and there are often high costs for roaming far from land. Sensors from Soolo have their own SIM-cards and Soolo Master supports NB-IoT and LTE-M which are present in mobile networks. Developers have made, and keep making Soolo in a way that can adapt as many end-users as possible.
A ship’s steel hull can also be an obstruction to signals sent and recieved. Soolo is developed to be able to send signals even in bad conditions. Our range is what separates us from our competitors. Even if the tanks are place under the sea or in rooms with steel walls, Soolo can be effective.
Reporting and efficient operations
In the Soolo app you always a full overview. You can receive monthly reports of your filling and draining pattern which can clearly show you where there is potential for improvement. You get statistics on how many liters you used, how much and how often your tanks are topped up. The average refill volume compared to your tank’s capacity is then calculated. It is then easy to see if for example, a tank with a 10.000 liter capacity was topped up five times but only 12.000 liters was used during a month. This would indicate that refilling just one or two times would be enough. That is an area where many can improve their logistics. Soolo is an investment with a quick return. Increase effieciency, reduce expenses, avoid downtime and empty tanks with Soolo.
Always in control – never an empty tank
On a ship, there are a wide range of different tanks with different contents. It is important that there is enough to cover the ship’s entire route, this is especially important for oil, fuel, fresh water and more. In collection tanks such as septic, it is also important that they never overflow. Soolo’s sensors are water proof and can withstand most types of liquids. In the soolo app you can see your tanks’ contents in real time. Then you can see if there is a need to drain tanks at the next harbour, or if you can make it through to the next one after that. With Soolo, you always know how much is left in the tank. The level of control this provides, reduces the number of refills and drainings. Switch to only refilling if you need to, switch to Soolo.
Several use cases on-board
Soolo Master is the “brain” of Soolo’s IoT network. On it, you can attach different sensors to measure all kinds of things. We have had a focus on measuring volumes i tanks, but there is a much wider range of areas where Soolo can be put to use. We have sensors which can alert you about temperature variations, useful in temperature controlled storage.
Our distance measurer can send you an alert through email or SMS if a door or gate is left open. Both can prevent damage to sensitive goods and materials. For example electronics or machines which are not water proof, or food products which need to stay frozen such as fish. There are many exciting opportunities for Soolo sensors in the near future as well.