Wireless Sensor Network on Board Vessels

International audienceWireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) have been used recently in different applications such as environmental monitoring and target tracking. Few papers have investigated the viability of this technology on board ships. We study in this paper the possibility of replacing the wired shipboard monitoring system by a WSN. This environment has a specific metallic structure which makes the wireless communication more difficult than in other classical indoor and outdoor environments. Two types of experiments have been carried out on board a ferry-type boat during sailings and stopovers. The first experiment consists of point-to-point measurements using ZigBee-based equipments and the second one consists of deploying and testing a WSN on board the ferry. These tests have been conducted during realistic conditions on board the ferry, which give a high level of reliability to results with respect to the earlier experiments on board ships moored to the harbor. In spite of the harsh metallic structure and the dynamic environments on board the ferry, the obtained results have shown that the wireless solution may be a cost-effective alternative of the huge amount of cables used actually to connect sensors to central control units

Application of UWB wireless MIMO connectivity inside ships

In this paper, Ultra wideband (UWB) technology is proposed for replacing the large amounts of wiring used in ships which can cause serious problems like electrical interference, short circuit fires and similar trouble.There are numerous applications of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) like in target tracking, monitoring a large number of sensors at vital points with actuators, controllers etc.. However there are not many studies which focus on implementing this technology in Ships. Wireless communications can be difficult in ships due to many metallic structures. The proposed UWB technology is based on novel pulse shapes which are derived from mono cycle sine waves in the GHz range, which have been practically tested and found to comply with the FCC regulations, in terms of power levels and spectral mask limitations. The technique can be operated as a high bit rate fast digital personal area network (PLAN).The results obtained practically show that this wireless solution may provide cost-effective alternative to the huge amount of wiring and cables, which are used to interconnect sensors and peripheral devices to central digital control units.The proposed scheme has been analysed theoretically and implemented practically as well as by simulation. It gave sound results in terms of cost, speed, channel capacity as well as power and spectral mask compliance with FCC regulations

60 GHz path loss modelling inside ships

This paper presents the results of a mmWave channel sounding campaign in a bulk carrier vessel. Using the Terragraph channel sounder, we measured path loss at 60.48 GHz for different separations between the transmit and receiving nodes in the engine room and steering control room of the vessel. The path loss at reference distance 1.5 m is 74.6 dB, which is higher than the free space path loss, whereas the path loss exponent of 1.7 is lower than in free space. The one-slope path loss model is used to estimate throughput via link budget calculations, which shows that 60 GHz propagation realizes high data rate communication in the engine room of a vessel if the Line-of-Sight path is not obstructed. Due to the highly metallic nature of the propagation environment, reflections make communication possible in an obstructed Line-of-Sight configuration, but there is no clear distance relationship

Vibration edge computing in maritime IoT

IoT and the Cloud are among the most disruptive changes in the way we use data today. These changes have not significantly influenced practices in condition monitoring for shipping. This is partly due to the cost of continuous data transmission. Several vessels are already equipped with a network of sensors. However, continuous monitoring is often not utilised and onshore visibility is obscured. Edge computing is a promising solution but there is a challenge sustaining the required accuracy for predictive maintenance. We investigate the use of IoT systems and Edge computing, evaluating the impact of the proposed solution on the decision making process. Data from a sensor and the NASA-IMS open repository were used to show the effectiveness of the proposed system and to evaluate it in a realistic maritime application. The results demonstrate our real-time dynamic intelligent reduction of transmitted data volume by without sacrificing specificity or sensitivity in decision making. The output of the Decision Support System fully corresponds to the monitored system's actual operating condition and the output when the raw data are used instead. The results demonstrate that the proposed more efficient approach is just as effective for the decision making process

Wireless Condition Monitoring of Machinery and Equipment in Maritime Industry: An Overview

Seagoing vessels are highly complex systems. Major requirements of marine vessels are continuous running time and high production output. As such, these systems require high availability and reliability, and are dependent on preventive maintenance procedures. Development of diverse range of sensors, combined with overall reduction in price, enabled implementation of condition based maintenance in such systems. Large increases in fuel cost, environmental restrictions and further crew reduction are current trend in maritime industry. Considering marine sector emphasis on the reduction of fuel consumption, environmental restrictions, and reduction of crew size, implementation of condition based maintenance is favourable, especially with regard to lost man-hours. However, high initial cost of installation on moving vessels, necessary crew training and additional sensor maintenance inhibits implementation of condition based maintenance. Replacing wired monitoring system with wireless ship-board sensor network would mitigate the above mentioned problems. However, current research of wireless sensor networks is based on terrestrial installation. This paper analyses the application of wireless sensor network technology on board seagoing vessels. Practical engineering solutions, including sensor types, configurations and wireless network topologies have been identified and reviewed

Next Generation Auto-Identification and Traceability Technologies for Industry 5.0: A Methodology and Practical Use Case for the Shipbuilding Industry

[Abstract] Industry 5.0 follows the steps of the Industry 4.0 paradigm and seeks for revolutionizing the way industries operate. In fact, Industry 5.0 focuses on research and innovation to support industrial production sustainability and place the well-being of industrial workers at the center of the production process. Thus, Industry 5.0 relies on three pillars: it is human-centric, it encourages sustainability and it is aimed at developing resilience against disruptions. Such core aspects cannot be fully achieved without a transparent end-to-end human-centered traceability throughout the value chain. As a consequence, Auto-Identification (Auto-ID) technologies play a key role, since they are able to provide automated item recognition, positioning and tracking without human intervention or in cooperation with industrial operators. Although the most popular Auto-ID technologies provide a certain degree of security and productivity, there are still open challenges for future Industry 5.0 factories. This article analyzes and evaluates the Auto-ID landscape and delivers a holistic perspective and understanding of the most popular and the latest technologies, looking for solutions that cope with harsh, diverse and complex industrial scenarios. In addition, it describes a methodology for selecting Auto-ID technologies for Industry 5.0 factories. Such a methodology is applied to a specific use case of the shipbuilding industry that requires identifying the main components of a ship during its construction and repair. To validate the outcomes of the methodology, a practical evaluation of passive and active UHF RFID tags was performed in an Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) under construction, showing that a careful selection and evaluation of the tags enables product identification and tracking even in areas with a very high density of metallic objects. As a result, this article serves as a useful guide for industrial stakeholders, including future developers and managers that seek for deploying identification and traceability technologies in Industry 5.0 scenarios.This work was supported in part by the Auto-Identication for Intelligent Products Research Line of the Navantia-Universidade da Coruña Joint Research Unit under Grant IN853B-2018/02, and in part by the Centro de Investigación de Galicia ``CITIC,'' funded by Xunta de Galicia and the European Union (European Regional Development Fund-Galicia 2014_2020 Program) under Grant ED431G 2019/01Xunta de Galicia; IN853B-2018/02Xunta de Galicia; ED431G 2019/0

A survey on blockchain technology in the maritime industry: Challenges and future perspectives

Blockchain technology has emerged as a potential solution to address the imperative need for enhancing security, transparency, and efficiency in the maritime industry, where increasing reliance on digital systems and data prevails. However, the integration of blockchain in the maritime sector is still an underexplored territory, necessitating a comprehensive investigation into its impact, challenges, and implementation strategies to harness its transformative potential effectively. This survey paper investigates the impact of Maritime Blockchain on Supply Chain Management, shedding light on its ability to enhance transparency, traceability, and overall efficiency in the complex realm of maritime logistics. Furthermore, the paper offers a practical roadmap for the integration of blockchain technology into the Maritime Industry, presenting a comprehensive framework that maritime stakeholders can adopt to unlock the advantages of blockchain in their operations. In addition to these aspects, the study conducts a thorough examination of the current network infrastructure in Ports and Vessels. This assessment provides a holistic view of the technological landscape within the maritime sector, which is crucial for understanding the challenges and opportunities for the successful implementation of blockchain technology. Moreover, the research identifies and analyzes specific Blockchain cybersecurity challenges that are pertinent to the Maritime Industry

Wireless Sensors for Health Monitoring of Marine Structures and Machinery

Remote structural and machinery health monitoring (SMHM) of marine structures such as ships, oil and gas rigs, freight container terminals, and marine energy platforms can ensure their reliability. However, the wired sensors currently used in these applications are difficult and expensive to install and maintain. Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) can potentially replace them but there are significant capability gaps that currently prevent their long-term deployment in the harsh marine environment and the structurally-complex, compartmentalised, all-metal scenarios with high volume occupancy of piping, ducting and operational machinery represented by marine structures. These gaps are in sensing, processing and communication hardware and firmware capabilities, reduction of power consumption, hardware assembly and packaging for reliability in the marine environment, reliability of wireless connectivity in the complex metal structures, and software for WSN deployment planning in the marine environment. Taken together, these gaps highlight the need for a systems integration methodology for marine SMHM and this is the focus of the research presented in this thesis. The research takes an applied approach by first designing the hardware and firmware for two wireless sensing modules specifically for marine SMHM, one a novel eddy-current-based 3D module for measuring multi-axis metal structural displacement, the second a fully integrated module for monitoring of structure and machinery reliability. The research then addresses module assembly and packaging methods to ensure reliability in the marine environment, the development of an efficient methodology for characterising the reliability of wireless connectivity in complex metal structures, and development of user interface software for planning WSN deployment and for managing the collection of WSN data. These are then individually and collectively characterised and tested for performance and reliability in laboratory, land-based and marine deployments. In addition to the research outcomes in each of these individual aspects, the overall research outcome represents a systems integration methodology that now allows deployment, with a high expectation of reliability of marine SMHM WSNs