MARINE & SHIPPING
26
A
rnlea is a tried and trusted partner for a number of global oil & gas clients, with more than 25 years’ expertise in supply chain and operational management activities, providing software solutions to the energy industry. Arnlea Systems Inc is a subsidiary of Arnlea Systems Ltd, global leader in industrial mobile software for tracking, inspection and maintenance for the oil & gas industry, and signed its first two US contracts with TOTE Services, LLC, an affiliate of TOTE, LLC, in 2020. through its partnership with SourceIEx. This was big news, particularly in the US, because Totes Services was the first marine business to convert some of its vessels to LNG in response to changes in the US Coastguard directions for the use of LNG in respect of reduced carbon emissions. Conversion to LNG by any US vessel triggers the need for hazardous area “Ex” inspections, something the US marine industry has not been used to, until now. To those in the Oil & Gas industry, Ex inspections are par for the course. Inspections of Ex electrical items are a daily occurrence, some companies complete these inspections using pen and paper, Excel spreadsheets, and increasingly, software and cloud-based software. In the US Marine industry however, Ex inspections have not been of relevance until in 2018 the US Coastguard created a series of safety regulations to create HSEQ standards for offshore platforms, units and vessels. For marine companies, they came into effect if a vessel converted from carbonemitting diesel to lower carbon emitting LNG. The challenge of global climate change has meant many global shipping businesses are converting their vessels and in the US TOTE Services has been a pioneer in this endeavour, converting their first vessel in 2017 and has the most environmentally advanced ships in the nation. This has provided an opportunity for Arnlea. The US market is a clear strategic target for Arnlea, and I am planning on relocating there as soon as practical. We formally opened our US office in Houston in 2020 but due to the global pandemic, we’ve not yet physically occupied our new home, something we’re hoping to achieve before the end of 2021. We specialise in the energy industry focusing on providing cloud-based software to deploy asset management systems, which is why we decided to establish a commercial base in Houston, to be in another global energy centre and to support our US partners and resellers. In our core industry, clients deploying Intrinsix are typically experiencing multi-million-pound savings and payback of the system well within a year, whilst improving operational excellence, compliance, asset integrity, and reducing their OPEX.
www.ogv.energy I April 2021
FROM ENERGY TO MARINE:
How Arnlea’s US ambitions developed a brand-new market.
Arnlea’s international Business Development Manager Paul Goonan describes the opportunities they have discovered in the US marine industry, a market they hadn’t planned on developing.
The opportunity with TOTE came about through one of our premier resellers and partners, SourceIEx. An experienced operator for Ex equipment and services for the oil and gas industry, they were aware of the opportunities in the marine industry and recognised that as a tried and trusted partner in Ex and asset management software with a global reputation, Arnlea was in pole position to support forwardthinking marine operators in the US. As soon as it became clear that we were expanding the business Stateside, we began to foster closer ties with specialist equipment, software and service providers, to provide a broader and more attractive proposition to potential clients. This strategy is paying off, as we opened this new market as a direct result of this relationship. This led to Arnlea signing its first US contracts with TOTE Services, who operate the world’s first LNG-powered – Marlin Class – container ships. TOTE is in the process of converting to LNG a second class of vessels, Orcas Class and, as such, is now required by the US Coastguard to conduct regular Ex inspections. The installation dates were in late 2020, supported by SourceIEx, who also supported Arnlea with the first inspections. As Bob Johnson, President, SourceIEx said at the time, “Our relationship with Arnlea is both strategic and timely. The opportunities for cloud- based Ex inspection software in both the energy and maritime industries are immense, due to a shift towards digital transformation and a move to LNG fuels. We welcome Arnlea’s first US contracts with TOTE and see them as just the first of many to come.”
North Star Vessel
TOTE LLC’s family of companies includes leading transportation and logistics companies. TOTE Maritime Alaska, LLC, and TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, LLC bring unmatched reliability and service to their respective markets. TOTE Services, LLC offers crewing and technical services to meet the needs of commercial, privately owned, and U.S. Government vessels. TOTE was in the process of converting its West Coast vessels from diesel to LNG in a bid to lower their carbon footprint and this brings with it a new responsibility to conduct IEC inspections. This has been the first marine contract for Arnlea anywhere in the world, outside its core market of oil and gas and opened a brand-new market for the business.
Isla Bella Vessel in Service
The IntrinsixEX software has been deployed on a fleet of five different vessels, comprising two vessels and a barge (TOTE Puerto Rico) on the Atlantic Coast and two vessels on the Pacific Coast (TOTE Alaska). IntrinsixEX plays a central role with industry regulations and IEC 60079 standards compliance, ATEX directives, including the US
Arnlea, the global leader in industrial mobile software for tracking, inspection & maintenance for the global Oil & Gas industry. Learn more about Intrinsix at www.arnlea.com