What drives vessel performance? How ARC turns operational data into smarter decisions with Oversea

Over the past years, ARC has taken a structured approach to digitalising its fleet, generating large volumes of operational data. But while data is abundant, turning it into meaningful improvements is not always straightforward.

To gain better visibility into vessel performance, ARC selected the digital decision-support solution from Oversea, which analyses operational vessel data and presents it through clear dashboards, reports and expert support for the technical team.

Today we need to understand much more about how our ships are operating. There are many factors that affect performance – machinery condition, trim, speed, weather – and Oversea help us see what’s really going on and where adjustments can make difference.

- Andy Grasso, Sr. General Manager, Operations, ARC

 

Making sense of complex vessel data

ARC operates a fleet of ten Ro-Ro vessels trading globally, including liner services between Northern Europe and the United States as well as charter operations.

ARC began working with Oversea about a year ago. The system was first implemented on vessels where historical operational data was already available before gradually expanding across the fleet.

“We started by gathering machinery data,” says Phil Hajost, General Manager Engineering and Technical at ARC. “Then we added hull and propeller performance, and later trim optimization.”

For ARC’s operational team, one of the main benefits is how complex operational data is translated into clear and accessible information.

I’m not an engineer. What I needed was a dashboard that quickly shows where there might be performance issues so I know what questions to ask. And Oversea provided exactly what I needed. The reports and graphs make it very easy to see when something isn’t right.

- Andy Grasso, Sr. General Manager, Operations, ARC

 

Looking beyond the numbers: what really drives performance?

One of the biggest challenges in vessel performance management is identifying what actually causes changes in efficiency. Reduced performance can be driven by several factors – such as hull fouling, machinery condition, auxiliary systems, weather conditions or operational behavior. Oversea analyses large volumes of operational data and separates the different drivers that influence vessel performance.

“Reduced vessel performance is rarely driven by just one factor,” says Victor Westerberg, Head of Fleet Support Center Operations at Oversea.

Our models analyze vessel data and break performance down into its different components – such as hull condition, machinery behavior, trim, or operational decisions. This allows our clients to understand what is actually affecting vessel performance and where action may be needed. In many cases operators can see that consumption has increased, but identifying the cause is not always straightforward. By analyzing ARC’s data we isolate what is driving the change and provide practical recommendations that improve operations.

- Victor Westerberg, Head of Fleet Support Center Operations at Oversea.

 

When data challenges long-standing practices

For ARC, these insights have proven particularly useful in evaluating how operational decisions affect vessel performance.

One example is trim management.

Traditionally, many vessels were operated slightly down by the stern – a long-established practice in shipping. However, data analysis from Oversea indicated that operating slightly down by the bow could improve efficiency on several vessels.

“Changing behavior wasn’t easy,” Andy explains. “Mariners have strong habits and a lot of experience. Certain ways of operating ships have been passed down for years.”

With insights generated by Oversea, ARC was able to compare performance between sister vessels operating on similar routes.

We could match the trim profile with the fuel consumption and show the difference. When you show crews the numbers and compare ships operating under similar conditions, the results speak for themselves.

- Andy Grasso

Combining analytics with real maritime knowledge

A key element of Oversea’s approach is the combination of advanced analytics and maritime expertise.

All experts at the Fleet Support Center team have previously worked at sea as engineers or officers, helping translate operational data into practical recommendations. ARC also works closely with the Oversea Center team to regularly review vessel performance and discuss results of implemented recommended actions.

That maritime background is crucial. We understand how ships actually operate, so when we analyse the data we look at it from an operational perspective, not just a theoretical one.

- Victor Westerberg, Head of Fleet Support Center Operations at Oversea.

Better decisions across the fleet

For ARC, the combination of operational data and expert insight provides valuable support in daily fleet management. The service is used to monitor machinery trends, support maintenance decisions and identify potential issues earlier.

“It helps us verify whether something is developing or if it’s just a temporary variation,” one superintendent explains.

Fuel consumption trends can also help indicate when hull inspections or cleaning may be required.

“It’s important to have experts who understand both the data and the ships. That combination helps us make better operational decisions.”

A practical service solution for fleet operations

ARC describes the implementation process as straightforward, with the Oversea team supporting vessel crews through training sessions and system walkthroughs.

As shipping continues to digitalize, solutions that help operators understand vessel performance are becoming increasingly important.

Oversea is constantly developing and improving its solutions to provide support for more areas of Vessel and Voyage performance.

”Eventually, we would like to test all solutions with ARC. But for now we are very pleased that our solutions have significantly improved vessel performance in ARC fleet. “says Victor Westerberg.