Marine life-cycle services to provide more business reliability

It’s worth updating the automation system on time

An aging automation system is a risk to shipowners. Suitable components may suddenly not be available when a relevant part breaks as a result of overextended use. Technical support, too, may no longer be available. This is because today’s technology is advancing by leaps and bounds.

Sometimes, an existing system was designed for needs that were present at the time of installation. Therefore, the system does not necessarily include the flexibility needed to upgrade according to the present demands. Or the system, for instance, may not support new functionality, such as the Power Management System.

PLCs versus Valmet DNA

The Valmet DNA integrated automation system offers a cost-efficient way to upgrade obsolete programmable logic controllers (PLCs) into a modern automation system. When performing the migration, existing infrastructure can be utilized in many ways.

Valmet DNA provides plenty of technical advances. The integrated system has protocols and configurations inside the system. Modifications are easy to make. The system also offers extensive diagnostics, alarm handling and analysis. Valmet DNA is a transparent system and communicates through the Internet. No extra protocol is needed for communication. Our automation system is scalable, starting from tens of I/Os and scaling up to tens of thousands of I/Os.

Retrofits to hybrid systems done while the ship is operating  

With the increasing importance of sustainability, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the EU are tightening their regulations for seagoing vessels.

The inclusion of the Mediterranean Sea in the sulfur emission control area (SECA) as of January 2025 also gives a reason to invest in scrubbers, and especially in hybrid and closed-loop versions.

Valmet is the first company to introduce a dual water hybrid scrubber to the marine market. The hybrid scrubber is a combination of an open- and closed-loop scrubber that allows airborne emissions to be kept within regulatory limits in a cost-efficient way.

Efficient and environmentally friendly washwater filtration

Leading the way for the industry, Valmet has developed a treatment system for scrubber washwater that meets even the most stringent regulations for emissions at sea. At the core of the system is Valmet’s Ultrafilter CR solution based on mechanical ultrafiltration that does not require additive chemicals during daily operation. The only chemical used is detergent for weekly membrane cleaning. This results in major cost savings during the ship’s operation.

Retrofitting an existing open-loop scrubber into a hybrid system is a feasible option with Valmet’s experience and extensive range of products.