A new perspective on servicing gas detection equipment – 34 Years Incident Free
Tuesday, 14th November 2023
Columbia Ship Management has been using IM&M’s Meter Tracker system for over 20 years for its fleet of over 450 vessels. Columbia Management says “The meter tracking system has proven to be an excellent tool in maintaining the high standard of gas detection equipment which we demand. We require that portable gas detection on board our vessels is reliable and certified. A significant benefit of the system is that International Mining and Marine Ltd (IM&M Ltd) monitors the process and lets us know when they are due for servicing, and we look for a suitable port to do the exchange.
Picture Description: Columbia recently attended delivery of two 13,200 TEU Class Containers Ships, the Wan Hai 01 and Wan Hai 02, IM&M have supplied bespoke, gas detection and accompanying equipment for these new build vessels, according to CSM safety management system specification.
Organising how to meet the practicalities and legislative requirements of servicing and replacing portable gas detection equipment on a range of vessels can be a logistical nightmare and, in many cases, an expensive exercise. The benefits of using a unique system, tailor-made for this purpose, which allows ship management companies to make sure that calibrations are carried out while reducing the overall cost, moving from a variable cost to a fixed budget cost.
Usage of gas detection systems
Gas detection systems are used to ensure vessels’ operational safety and to identify a wide range of potential hazards not only for the health and safety of the ships and crew but also to meet increasingly stringent maritime legislation. Fleet operators also have to ensure that the servicing, calibration and replacement of different types of monitoring equipment takes place in ports where appropriate facilities may not exist, or be provided at a significantly higher price than normal. This situation can be exacerbated by the fact that ships may carry monitors from a range of different manufacturers, quite often this means that ships need to carry additional equipment to solve the logistical issues discussed above, resulting in even more equipment to monitor and calibrate. There is a recent trend, however, to allow some of the tests to be performed by the ship’s crew, IM&M facilitate that they are properly trained and supported. In addition, every so often the gas monitors are required to be ‘landed’ to an authorised and competent technical service station for a shore based service and calibration.
Solution – Meter Tracker
Meter Tracker is an all-encompassing, ongoing maintenance programme that has been specifically designed to solve these problems. By utilising the ‘Meter Tracker system’, International Mining and Marine Limited (IM&M Ltd) can offer significant savings in both time and money while simplifying calibration procedures and meeting maritime legislation. When a monitor is due for service, IM&M Ltd contacts the management company to ascertain the vessel’s next port of call. Identical, pre-calibrated and fully serviced gas detection instruments, together with the appropriate calibration gases, are then sent to the port to await the arrival of the vessel. The instruments are then exchanged and, once returned to IM&M Ltd, are repaired, serviced or recalibrated as required and placed into stores awaiting the next vessel exchange. Managing Director Mark Westerman of IM&M Ltd claims that “Meter Tracker can revolutionize the way in which vessels manage their gas detection. It brings rewards to almost everyone involved in the process of handling gas monitors. The benefits vary from company to company but, without doubt, ship management organisations are finding savings in both time and money as a result of less administration, fewer communications, minimal logistics planning and a reduction in negative vetting observations.”
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