HamiltonJet Launches Data-technology Platform Overwatch

New Zealand-based HamiltonJet has unveiled its new  fleet monitoring solution, Overwatch, designed to provide shore-side staff with detailed multi-vessel information in real-time, delivering operational efficiencies and increasing levels of safety for crew and passengers.

The platform has been four years in the making - two years development, working out how to harness the power of vessel digitization, and another two years in pre-deployment testing on customer vessels.

HamiltonJet Managing Director, Ben Reed says, “We are very proud of this new evolution in HamiltonJet’s offering. Our global network is by far the strongest in the waterjet industry, and our level of repeat custom and positive feedback on uptime and support is a testament to this. The advent of more on board electronics, wireless communications and cloud storage has created a significant opportunity for us to improve support and provide valuable data insights to our customers.”

Overwatch includes an on-board recording device (like an airplane black-box), which listens to the driveline control signals while also recording any NMEA2000 signals and the AIS transponder enabling a full suite of data to be recorded, transmitted and analyzed. This allows the use of the phone network, or existing on board internet connection, to send data to the cloud which, even with secure encryption in place, is fast enough to give a ‘near-live’ experience.

Luke Cook, HamiltonJet’s Global Aftersales Manager, said, “The marine industry is evolving and the use of data for decision making is increasing. Platforms such as Overwatch take data that would be historically available exclusively to those on board the vessel and democratizes it. The ability to use any device to see in real time where your vessels are operating, their current conditions and equipment performance is a major shift in industry expectations.”

The Overwatch platform is part of HamiltonJet’s strategic growth plan. The organization is investing significantly in the deployment of resources to develop three core, future-thinking, strategic pillars for the business – Electrification, Digitization and Autonomy. The Overwatch platform supports the digitization pillar, and will be a fundamental supporting mechanism for Hybrid, Electric and Autonomy platforms.

Reed said, “As a manufacturer of advanced marine propulsion solutions, we have always innovated to push the boundaries of technology, whether it being hydrodynamic performance, through to electronic control systems and advanced vessel dynamic control systems such as JETanchor. We believe that technology is the core to growth.”