142 INTERVIEW Safety and stability Tuomas Hakkinen and Jussi Siltanen explain to Alex Smith how the new NAPA Stability for ferries solution helps shipowners to manage the operational needs of their ferries With over 30 years of expertise in maritime technology, NAPA has a strong track record of delivering innovative solutions for various vessel types. Following the successful launch of the newest version of NAPA Stability for cruise ships in 2022, NAPA has now turned its attention to ferries, creating a unique solution for managing their very different needs. “The whole operative nature of these ship types is different,” says Tuomas Hakkinen, account director for ferry and ro-pax business at NAPA. “Ferries go from A to B several times a day, carrying both passengers and cargo. They must stick to a schedule and compete in terms of the amount of cargo they can carry. Therefore, the software must be adapted to the uniqueness of those operations. Having provided solutions for the ferry industry for over 20 years, we know what our customers require.” The latest additions to the NAPA Stability software provides essential features to meet ferry operators’ needs. The updated cargo-loading function now automatically calculates weight onboard, enabling cargo numbers to be filled faster and with minimal interaction. It is also capable of monitoring unknown cargo weight, such as that added by trucks carrying goods. “The unknown cargo monitoring tool is something that’s really valuable for operators from a safety perspective,” says Hakkinen “It’s very important to know the weight of cargo in order to load the correct place onboard a vessel to ensure that your safety parameters are calculated properly. The addition of the tool is a big improvement from previous versions of the software.” NAPA Stability’s newly added features for ferries also meets the International Maritime Organization’s Type 4 requirements for loading computers, which will be mandatory for all passenger ships by 2025. The damage stability feature has been renewed, including the water on deck calculation capability. All this data is then sent to a cloud platform, NAPA Fleet Intelligence, which allows an operator to see realtime loading progress and provides an overview of the safety of the fleet’s operations. Having data in the cloud also enables NAPA to continuously develop and improve its solution by adding new capabilities for its customers. “We don’t just say ‘here is the software’ and move on,” says Hakkinen. “We are always developing the software to improve how it works for our customers, which is the biggest reason why we are a market leader for loading computers.” NAPA has worked with passenger ferry operators such as CalMac Ferries, P&O Ferries, Stena Line and Finnlines to refine the solution, adapting the software according to their experience and feedback. The company also plans to further meet the specific needs of their ferry customers with the launch of NAPA Stability for RoRos, a similarly tailored stability management solution for rollon/roll-off vessels, in 2024. “We collaborate very closely with our customers,” says Jussi Siltanen, go-to-market lead at NAPA. “Each of our customers have slightly different processes that require slightly different solutions, so we co-develop with them to meet their specific needs. Our long-time users provide very valuable feedback, and we want to make sure our solution is as intuitive as possible for them.” Alongside NAPA Stability, operators can also make use of a range of other NAPA modules to improve services. These include NAPA Emergency Computer, which provides a colourcoded vulnerability status overview of risks onboard. The system also monitors for faulty sensors, open watertight doors and sea conditions, and can simulate realistic drills to help improve preparedness. In an emergency, the software can automatically relay information to shoreside emergency response services about the exact onboard conditions. “ Having provided solutions for the ferry industry for over 20 years, we know what our customers require” Tuomas Hakkinen
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=