In today’s maritime industry, fleet operators face growing pressure to improve cost-efficiency, sustainability, and safety while meeting strict regulatory requirements. A Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) is no longer a luxury but an essential tool for modern fleet management. By delivering real-time insights into vessel performance, a VMS helps operators reduce operating costs, improve safety, and cut CO₂ emissions, aligning with global decarbonisation targets.
What is a Vessel Monitoring System?
A Vessel Monitoring System is an integrated vessel telemetry solution that collects data from onboard sensors, GPS, and engine systems. This data is displayed on a centralised dashboard, enabling operators to monitor:
- Vessel position and speed
- Fuel consumption
- Engine health
- Environmental conditions
By synthesising this data into actionable reports, operators can identify trends, optimise performance, and assist with emissions compliance. This data-driven approach empowers smarter decisions that improve operational efficiency, sustainability, and fleet utilisation.
What Can a VMS Track?
Modern VMS platforms can monitor an extensive range of parameters from various vessel sensors. Plus, additional data can be extrapolated from known engine data.
This may include:
- Engine and Machinery Sensors
- RPM
- Fuel flow (real-time consumption)
- Oil pressure
- Coolant temperature
- Exhaust gas temperature.
- Emissions and Environmental Compliance
- NOx and SOx for MARPOL compliance
- CO₂ for sustainability reporting.
- Navigation and Positioning
- GPS for real-time location
- Speed
- Heading
- AIS integration.
- Environmental and Weather
- Wind speed and direction
- Water depth (echo sounder)
- Sea temperature.
- Electrical and Power
- Battery voltage and current.
- Safety and Auxiliary
- Bilge level sensors
- Fire detection
- Door and hatch position.
How is the Telemetry Data Used?
A VMS uses telemetry data in two primary ways:
- Real-Time Monitoring:
Captains can operate vessels at peak efficiency and safety, supported by onboard and centralised alarms that trigger when the vessel is operated outside of predetermined operating parameters.
- Fleet Reporting and Analysis:
Historical data enables consolidated and easily cross-tabulated reporting and analysis. This helps identify insights that can be used to develop performance benchmarking, predictive maintenance, route optimisation and prioritised improvements across all areas of vessel operations.
For example, analysing speed and acceleration patterns can reveal opportunities to reduce fuel consumption, while correlating maintenance data with operating conditions can prevent costly breakdowns.
Benefits for Fleet Operators
Implementing a VMS delivers measurable benefits across your operations:
- Cost Savings: Fuel optimisation strategies can reduce consumption, lowering operating costs significantly.
- Enhanced Safety: Real-time alerts and playback improve incident response and crew safety
- Simplified reporting: To help with compliance.
- Operational Insights: Data-driven decision-making improves scheduling, route planning, and asset utilisation.
- CO₂ Reduction and Sustainability: For example, a 10% fuel reduction equals a 10% CO₂ reduction, which is critical for meeting decarbonisation targets and improving environmental performance.
About On Watch VMS: Vessel telemetry for smarter fleet management
On Watch VMS, developed by Ultimate Marine Power, is an advanced Marine Vessel Monitoring System and Voyage Data Recorder. It has been designed from the ground up to help fleet operators better manage the key challenges they face today.
Built specifically for the marine industry and designed with commercial fleet operators in mind, On Watch VMS empowers operators with actionable insights that enhance safety, reduce costs, and improve operational performance.
What is On Watch VMS?
On Watch VMS is a comprehensive real-time monitoring platform that captures and analyses critical vessel data. It combines navigation, engine, and environmental data into an easy-to-use interface accessible from any internet-connected device. On Watch can capture and report data from any vessel sensor.
On Watch consists of a cloud-based platform and an onboard DataBox. The system ensures you stay informed and in control, whether you manage ferries, workboats, or hybrid vessels.
Key Features of On Watch VMS
- Real-Time Monitoring: Track vessel location, speed, heading, and engine performance from a central command centre.
- High-Resolution Data Playback: Access historical data for incident analysis and performance optimisation.
- Comprehensive Data Capture:
- Navigation: Virtually limitless data inputs from NMEA2000 or NMEA0183 protocols, including speed, heading, roll/pitch, depth, and rudder position.
- Engine: RPM, fuel flow, coolant temperature, oil pressure, engine load, any data on J1939/Modbus/NMEA2000/Analogue Engines.
- Gearbox & Hybrid Systems: CAN J1939 and RS232 data integration.
- Custom Alerts: Receive instant notifications for critical events like low oil pressure or high coolant temperature.
- Cloud Connectivity: Secure online monitoring with encrypted data upload and long-term storage
- A dedicated rugged vessel data recorder for storing live data.
- Integrates with maintenance tools such as Helm Connect and supports API-driven telemetry integration.
- For investigations, options of up to 5 measurements per second granularity enable rapid fault diagnosis and incident playback, cutting downtime, lowering diagnostic costs, and clarifying what really happened on the water.
- Flexible Installation: Compatible with any vessel and engine type, including electric and hybrid propulsion systems.
On Watch Benefits for Fleet Operators
On Watch VMS addresses the core challenges of fleet management:
- Operational Efficiency and Sustainability: Optimise routes and engine performance to reduce fuel consumption, helping cut costs and lower emissions.
- Enhanced Safety and Performance: Real-time alerts and historical playback improve incident response and crew safety.
- Predictive Maintenance: Continuous monitoring helps identify issues early, reducing unplanned downtime.
- Scalability: An affordable monthly subscription per vessel makes it accessible to fleets of all sizes.
- Operational Control: On Watch unlocks insights that empower continuous improvement of felt operations.
Proven Performance
On Watch VMS is a fleet management system trusted by major Australian operators, including Sydney Ferries, Manly Fast Ferries, Port Authority NSW, and more commercial fleet operators across Australia. Its ability to deliver real-time situational awareness and data-driven decision-making makes it an essential tool for modern maritime operations.
Why Invest in a Vessel Monitoring System?
A robust VMS is more than a compliance tool—it is a strategic investment in efficiency and sustainability. By reducing fuel costs, improving safety, and cutting emissions, fleet operators can gain a competitive edge in an increasingly regulated and environmentally conscious industry.