BMP + Biofouling - Developing a Custom Software Application for the Maritime Industry

OVERVIEW

BMP+, a revolutionary biofouling management solution, stands at the forefront of environmental and maritime innovation. Developed by Intergy, this custom software application is instrumental in promoting best practices and environmental stewardship within the marine vessel industry. It serves as a comprehensive system for reporting, managing, and ensuring compliance among Australian shipping vessels. This groundbreaking technology not only addresses legal, safety, and administrative biofouling requirements but also plays a crucial role in minimising the detrimental environmental impacts often associated with marine transportation. Collaborating with BMP+ on this transformative project required in-depth comprehension of maritime intricacies, shipping vessels, industry compliance, environmental consequences, diving methodologies, and more, making it an engaging and enlightening venture for our team.

UNDERSTANDING BIOFOULING: A MARINE CHALLENGE

Biofouling encompasses the growth of various organisms on submerged surfaces of marine vessels, including hulls, propellers, and other niche areas. It can also extend to water ingresses and other natural or organic sources of damage or risk to a vessel. Effectively managing, documenting, and rectifying biofouling is paramount to the longevity and efficiency of a shipping vessel. Historically, the methods employed in this process were laborious and lacked technological sophistication. This prompted BMP+ to seek Intergy's expertise in developing a tailor-made application capable of facilitating comprehensive biofouling assessments while streamlining the entire management process.

The Solution

Scope of the Custom Software Application

BMP+ presented a formidable challenge as their existing processes relied heavily on paper-based methodologies. In the initial stages of development, Intergy engaged in extensive solutions consulting to gain a profound understanding of BMP+’s unique needs and the multifaceted functionalities essential for the application’s success.

The application had to possess the following core capabilities:

Offline Accessibility - To accommodate the often remote locations of shipping docks with limited network connectivity.
Biofouling Assessment - To enable dry dock inspectors to conduct thorough biofouling assessments and document their findings.
Visual Representation - To empower inspectors with a virtual shipping vessel image, which could be manipulated to visually convey risks, hazards, biofouling locations, water ingresses, and other pertinent issues.
Dive Path Tracking - To facilitate underwater dive path tracking for divers, ensuring comprehensive assessments.
Role-Based Access - To grant specific access permissions based on individual roles within the assessment process.
Cloud Integration - To allow administrators to upload data to a cloud-hosted server, facilitating reference and reporting.
ISWS, Water, and Biofouling Inspections - To support various inspection types within the industry.

Following this detailed scoping process, we proceeded with the development of an initial system architecture design, which was then submitted to BMP+ for approval. Given the industry’s stringent requirements for biofouling management, Intergy was committed to designing an application that not only automated processes but also upheld the integrity of data collection. We provided BMP+ with a comprehensive design specification that enabled inspectors to record dry dock inspections, document issues, and ensure that ships remained in compliance with industry standards. This design also included the capability to capture and upload photos, flag problem areas, and facilitate the three primary inspection types previously outlined

System architecture

Intergy also considered the best way to manage the flow of data for BMP+, and designed a unique methodology that would enable the right access for the right parties to complete their tasks within the system, whilst ensuring the integrity of data was not compromised. Given the various differing roles within a biofouling assessment, it was important to keep key personnel, such as site administrators and dry dock specialists at the helm of managing the information and processes, with admins having cloud access to upload and store data upon completion of an assessment. We visually represented this hierarchy and the flow of data within the system as follows:

data flow diagram

Drilling down from the system architecture and data management, we created unique screens and functions within the system to enable each party to complete their tasks. Intergy did this with scalability and compliance in mind, as the maritime sector remains heavily regulated and all of the paper-based functionality and data collection needed to be made available within the system.

What this means for the Environment

Preventing biofouling can be beneficial for the environment in several ways:

Biofouling can facilitate the transport of invasive species to new regions. Organisms attached to ship hulls or equipment in one location can be carried to different ecosystems when vessels or equipment are moved. These invasive species can outcompete native species, disrupt local ecosystems, and lead to ecological imbalances. Further to this, it can lead to the displacement of native species in favor of fouling organisms. Preventing biofouling can help preserve the diversity of native species in a particular ecosystem and maintain the ecological balance.

In the case of large vessels, such as ships that would be managed on BMP+, heavy biofouling on the hull can significantly reduce fuel efficiency due to the drag and corrosion it causes. By preventing excessive biofouling, vessels can operate more efficiently, leading to reduced fuel consumption and lower emissions, which is beneficial for air quality and the reduction of greenhouse gases. Biofouling also reduces maintenance requirements and the potential for leaks or environmental contamination from corrosion.

By developing a custom software application in BMP+, Intergy were proud to innovate a new solution in an industry that few are aware of, but which has significant environmental impacts and can contribute to a more sustainable future. Working on BMP+ has also given us extensive experience in adhering to environmental sustainability requirements within the maritime industry, which we can apply to other legislated fields.

CONCLUSION

The collaboration between Intergy and BMP+ in developing the BMP+ custom software application has not only streamlined biofouling management but also paved the way for eco-conscious and technologically advanced solutions within the maritime sector. This innovative software serves as a testament to the potential of custom software development to drive industry-specific advancements that benefit both businesses and the environment. By automating processes and promoting data integrity, this application plays a pivotal role in the preservation of marine ecosystems while bolstering industry compliance and efficiency.

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