The concept of the digital twin and its potential benefits have become embedded in the maritime industry. But how far it has penetrated the collective mindset of the industry is less certain.
Creating a digital twin for an expensive and complex newbuilding project is becoming more commonplace and is being driven by owners, particularly for energy shipping, defence or other specialist vessels.
3D model-based design
Powered by 3D model-based design and a Product Lifecycle Management-led approach to shipyard workflows, a digital model will inform and sustain the vessel’s entire lifecycle.
Less widely appreciated is that the same holds true for existing vessels – including smaller and less complex commercial ships. Buyers who prefer second-hand tonnage with the potential for retrofits can also benefit from a digital model.
The ability to capture enough data to create the digital twin is achievable using today’s shipbuilding-specific tools and that does not mean they have to be a ‘perfect’ representation of the as-built ship.
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| Powered by 3D model-based design and a Product Lifecycle Management-led approach to the shipyard. |
Newbuildings
Some vessel types – particularly in naval shipbuilding – are obvious candidates given their long lifecycles in single ownership, but for commercial shipping the demand for a digital twin requires an understanding of whether the owner foresees a long-term ownership/operating position.
Part of the reluctance stems from the perceived complexity of the task and also from the need to make the business case
Education and value creation are essential so that the shipowner knows what to ask for, understands what it will do for them and how they can extract value for however long they own and operate the asset.
Part of the reluctance stems from the perceived complexity of the task and also from the need to make the business case. Ultimately, it will happen if owners specify it in the contract and shipbuilders are paid to develop an accurate ‘as-built/as-delivered’ digital twin. Owners don’t make investments without demonstrable ROI and shipyards only deliver what the contract requires.
2D production drawings
How to get the two parties aligned is a critical component of success. Having the shipowner onboard early is key to getting the digital twin embedded in the construction process.
Without specific provision for a digital twin, most shipyards will stop developing the ship model at some point and additional information only shows up on the 2D production drawings, resulting in a less usable model for the owner. Defining the deliverables and intended purpose can make the case more forcefully.
For shipyards, the fact that a digital twin that can inform the production process, streamline the handover and support sustainment over the vessel’s lifecycle should be a competitive differentiator.
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| Additional information only shows up on the 2D production drawings. |
Existing vessels
Many vessel owners and shiprepair yards alike have yet to fully recognize the long-term business value of digital twins for existing tonnage. Until this awareness grows, the integration of digital twins into the in-service phases will continue to lag other complex manufacturing industries.
Looking further down the curve, a lifecycle digital twin can create its own type of value. For many yards, maintenance, repair and especially energy efficiency upgrades are a big part of their future. Availability of an accurate, reliable, digital twin supports this strategic direction.
The common factor is for both owner and yard to understand that a digital twin can be ‘good enough’ to serve the defined purposes, without being a multi-headed technology project that struggles to justify its investment case.
Digital twin for second-hand and in-service vessels
The digital twin can then be used to optimize in-service operations onboard ship and ashore
An accurate digital twin for second-hand and in-service vessels is essential for effective management, supporting ongoing maintenance and other operational needs while reducing downtime and costs.
There are many ways to aggregate existing information and combine it with model data from different sources such as 3D laser scans, 360-degree imaging and re-modelling in 3D to create the starting point for a ’good enough’ digital twin.
The digital twin can then be used to optimize in-service operations onboard ship and ashore, plan and execute maintenance, support upgrade programs and inform safe decommissioning.
Less pain, more gain
The business case for a lifecycle twin is very simple: it can support and inform planned and predictive maintenance and planning for dry dock. Availability of the twin can shorten refit and repair cycle times because the faster the vessel’s manager can get the ship in and out of the yard, the sooner it is back in service and earning.
The benefits can also be shared with the shipyard if they can use the digital twin to analyse the layout against the prepared scope. By having a reliable, current version of the ship, the yard can go beyond simple estimation and provide a more reliable cost projection and assessment of where challenges might lie.
Benefit of a digital twin
Using the actual 3D design model to create the digital twin improves training accuracy and configuration
A further benefit of a digital twin is use for crew familiarisation before the build is completed and training both pre-launch and throughout the life of the vessel.
While some shipowners create a digital model for training, using the actual 3D design model to create the digital twin improves training accuracy and configuration and reduces risks and hazards from training on a model that may be an inaccurate representation of the as-built and as-operated vessel.
We also need to acknowledge the challenges: principally how to take the pain out of managing the digital twin and recognising that moving from paper to digital is not always an easy transition. The parties need to agree whose responsibility is it to keep an accurate record of model updates such that the in-service digital twin is reliable and trustworthy.
Growing demand for vessels
Shipowners commonly complain that they often struggle to update and verify paper vessel drawings. The prospect of using a digital system should remove most of that hassle, and yet understanding who has responsibility remains a frequent objection.
Where this conversation goes from here depends on the willingness of vendors to explain, shipyards to engage and owners to fully realise the benefits. Procuring agencies can also act by reducing acquisition and policy barriers to promote genuine innovation.
The growing complexity of shipping markets and the growing demand for vessels that can be adapted and retrofitted over their lifecycles make a compelling case for the digital twin rather than the analogue orphan.
