Shipmanager Thome Group has opened a digital operations hub in Singapore.
It is equipped with systems that allow remote tracking of individual ships, passage planning, security risk assessment, weather routing, video conferencing, integrated vessel management system implementation and individual on-board CCTV remote monitoring.
Thome president and chief commercial officer Claes Eek Thorstensen stresses that the systems give the company better control of vessels. “The monitoring capabilities will enable us to direct our managed fleet more efficiently, saving time and improving our operational efficiency,” he said.
Thorstensen also notes that the hub enables situational awareness for duty personnel and Thome’s crisis teams.
“In times of emergency, we can react much more quickly and get faster and more accurate information about the situation in real time, allowing our crisis teams to make informed decisions on how to resolve any issues,” he said.
While the fitting of CCTV systems is not mandatory under Solas’ Regulation 20, unlike voyage data recorders, adoption of the system by Thome’s clients has been promising. It reports that 50 vessels, or about a quarter of its managed fleet, have CCTV systems installed.
Thome expects more owners to follow suit once the benefits are borne out.
