Wight Shipyard Installs BareFLEET for New CAT

Reygar, a provider of innovative remote monitoring and reporting platforms to the marine industry, has announced that specialist high-speed ferry builder, Wight Shipyard, has installed its BareFLEET monitoring system on the new Catamaran Venus Clipper - the latest fast ferry built for MBNA Thames Clippers.

BareFLEET is a cloud-based monitoring platform that will give Wight Shipyard an unprecedented level of insight into the performance of the new vessel as it enters operational service on the Thames. The system will ultimately enable MBNA Thames Clippers to optimize performance, reduce maintenance costs and enhance safety for London’s swelling numbers of river commuters.  

Wight Shipyard’s adoption of the BareFLEET system is part of the wider digitalization of operational practices throughout the maritime sector. The ferry builder will use the system, which couples the latest remote data collection technology with advanced vessel performance monitoring software, to ensure that each vessel it delivers performs to design specification, and that warranty claims are settled fairly. This data will also feed into the design and build of future vessels, driving continuous operational improvements.

The new vessel, the 38-meter Catamaran Venus Clipper, is the largest of the MBNA Thames Clipper fleet, with a capacity of 222 passengers. This will allow an additional 300,000 people to travel on London’s river routes annually. The vessel uses twin symmetric hulls designed for frequent and repeated berthing at London’s floating piers, with a propulsion system chosen for navigating the demanding tidal conditions of the River Thames at speed.

Through the daily vessel reports produced by BareFLEET, Wight Shipyard can monitor all operational and navigational activity, including the time spent at each berth. Vessel metrics including engine health, fuel use, and CO2 emissions are recorded, along with any alarms that have occurred throughout the day. This data is then fed back to Wight Shipyard via the cloud, and shared directly with Thames Clippers, creating full transparency between builder and vessel owner during the warranty period.

This continuous monitoring also enables the shipyard to address any issues for MBNA Thames Clippers before they result in downtime for the vessel. For the operator, this means that time on the water can be maximized, whilst maintaining the highest standards of service and passenger safety. At the end of the shipyard monitoring period, the BareFLEET system can be handed over to MBNA Thames Clippers to maintain performance and safety throughout the operational lifetime of the vessel.