OFFSHORE VESSEL DISCOVERS THE VALUE OF TECHNOLOGY, EXPERT ADVICE AND DEALER SUPPORT

What if you could identify possible engine damage a full 40 days before it began affecting performance, so you could schedule service when it was convenient for your vessel — and before it cost you more in repairs and downtime?

That’s exactly what an offshore vessel operating in the Gulf of Mexico recently experienced. It’s enrolled in a Cat® Customer Value Agreement (CVA) — an active marine maintenance program that consists of tailored solutions for parts, services and technologies over the life of a vessel.

Included in this particular CVA are Equipment Health Management services, which means the vessel is equipped with advanced failure prevention monitoring technology that constantly tracks marine engine health. It’s also assigned to a Cat Fleet Advisor, a Caterpillar expert who works directly with the owner or operator to monitor performance and take action proactively.

When this vessel’s onboard technology flagged multiple critical engine issues, the Cat Fleet Advisor alerted the operator immediately and provided a recommendation for next steps. He continued to monitor the engine until the vessel could be taken out of service — and once the suspected damage was confirmed, Cat dealer technicians quickly completed the repair and got the vessel back on the water.

“We tend to think of equipment issues as single events occurring more quickly than we can respond to,” says a Cat Fleet Advisor. “In fact, it’s usually several small variances that can be traced and repaired if we have the right monitoring in place.”

Build your CVA with all the ingredients for success

This success story is a great example of the power of onboard monitoring technology. But that’s just one ingredient in your recipe for uptime. The others — using parts designed to protect marine engine health, performing preventive maintenance on schedule and having access to a team of experts who can help diagnose and solve problems — can all be included in a marine CVA, too. 

Every CVA starts with what’s important to you. Is your priority high uptime and availability? Do you want to reduce your total cost of ownership? Are you looking to get ahead of repairs and maintenance? Partnering with your Cat dealer to tailor a marine CVA enabled by technology gives you access to a wealth of data you can use to achieve your business goals, all while ensuring safety and compliance.

Let us help you turn your challenges into opportunities that further your growth and give you peace of mind. Talk to your dealer to learn more and start putting together a marine CVA that minimizes your downtime and keeps your vessel on the water where it belongs.