Sydney has a new resident. M/Y Bluestone 1 is 101 feet of sophistication and fun and already turning headings in Australia’s busiest harbour.
Motor Yacht ACE, the flagship of Conrad Shipyards, was launched in 2022 and has turned heads everywhere she has traveled since. The 44.3-metre yacht holds the title of the largest superyacht to be built in Poland.
With modern and sophisticated vessels like ACE, comes modern and sophisticated equipment. All of which requiring a comprehensive maintenance plan to ensure every check, inspection and service is carried out when it should. Seahub was chosen as the PMS of choice for both the Engineering and Deck departments to keep the yacht organised, safe and reliable from the moment it was launched.
A year on since implementation we caught up with the rotating Engineers, Vincent and Marian, to see how Seahub has performed.
Q – Chiefs – thanks for chatting with us. Lets start by understanding what were the primary reasons for wanting to implement a yacht management software such as Seahub?
Setting up a new build like ACE required a professional, easy to operate and efficient management software. We obviously found those requirements during our Seahub trial and are now looking forward to the upcoming updates. We also value the remote assistance given by the support team which is unmatched in the industry.
Q – Since implementing Seahub, how has the system changed how the boat operates and overall management of equipment and spare parts?
It is now very easy to follow up with spare parts consumption as well as keeping up with planned maintenance for every system fitted onboard. Making our life easier without a doubt.
Q – How important do you see setting up a PMS from the very beginning of when a superyacht is built and becomes operational?
It’s vital in our opinion, we both worked on several new projects through the past 10 years and always pushed to get the best management system available at the time. If you’re going to be the first crew member to operate a new project you should do it the best way you can do and in our department that means keeping track of every defect, every log, every action taken equipment by equipment, parts by parts. Of course, you can always use a couple of excel sheets but Seahub is making it way faster and neater for everyone.
Q – Being Rotational Chief Engineers, how has Seahub assisted in the handover process and what are the key areas of the system that assist with this process?
For us, having remote access to the software from home and whilst traveling means you’re able to keep up with what’s going on onboard without really needing to talk to each other. Of course, nothing will ever replace an on-site handover but you can at least prepare yourself and gauge what’s coming for you before you’ve even booked your inbound ticket.
One of the key takeaways when speaking with Vincent and Marian was the feedback on how the system has assisted in handovers. Rotating crew, particularly with Engineers is become more common practice. With this becoming the new ‘norm’, Seahub has been developing features that can better support the concept of crew rotation. This has resulted in the more seamless sharing of information, standardization of duties and providing a layer of transparency into who is doing what and when onboard.
“The Daily Log module is a great way to set up handover notes for the incoming Engineer to review prior to arriving at the vessel. It means they can go to one location and see what has been occurring onboard since they last departed. Having the ability to review this as well as see what is coming up means Engineers are hitting the ground running and not needing extended in-person hand overs” says Matt Hyde, Seahub’s Technical Director.
It has been an incredible experience to be involved with this build and work with two Engineers who value the importance of planned maintenance. M/Y Ace is truly and engineering marvel and a credit to the team at Conrad Shipyard.
To learn more about Seahub and how we can support the setup of new builds, visit – www.seahubsoftware.com