Qatar-based shipping and maritime company Nakilat has teamed up with the world’s leading classification society, DNV, and a group of leading yards and system suppliers on a joint development project (JDP) to improve the software reliability and maintenance during operations in the maritime sector.
According to the reports, the JDP, which was initiated in 2020 by Nakilat, has resulted in the launch of a new DNV Recommended Practice (DNV-RP-0582), published in June 2021.
Critical vessel functions are increasingly reliant on computerized software-based systems, which are getting more complicated, automated, and integrated. Software failures or dependability difficulties can now pose serious safety threats, as well as financial losses owing to off-hire days.
DNV and Nakilat partnered with shipyards and system vendors ABB, Honeywell, Kongsberg, and Wartsila+ Hudong-Zhonghua to contribute to the development of the Recommended Practice (RP) and to help address the risks in the sector.
Abdullah Al Sulaiti CEO – Nakilat
“With one of the largest LNG shipping fleets in the world, we are intimately aware of the importance of Information Technology (IT) integrity in ensuring safe, sustainable, and reliable vessel operations. With the experience gained from completing our own fleet-wide digitalization exercise, we are pleased to be partnering with key players in the industry to share our insights and contribute towards the improvement of vessel IT and computerization reliability and quality. The newly published Recommended Practice (RP) will act as a key enabler for the safe implementation of new digital technologies on board, helping other vessels managers and owners to mitigate the risks of digitalization while improving the safety of the crew, environment, vessel, and cargo.”
Mr. Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen DNV Maritime CEO said, “Our recent white paper highlighted an emerging safety gap in shipping rooted in the rapid digitalization of the industry and the increasingly complex on-board systems of modern vessels. Addressing these emerging risks is essential to our mission as a classification society, but it requires a collective effort.”
“This is why we are very pleased that there is such strong industry participation in this project, as it further underlines the growing importance of this topic. The RP is designed to help owners and operators deal with software in the same way they would machinery or other physical systems onboard and with the RP now available, we hope to see this implemented soon in both new buildings and the existing fleet,” Mr. Ørbeck-Nilssen further added.
The RP guides the handling of complicated software and computer-based systems throughout the life cycle of a vessel (design, construction, commissioning, and operation). Furthermore, the RP works to increase software reliability and quality by focusing on system integration and software change management.
