omc news - 30th anniversary and move to new...
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OMC International celebrates its 30th anniversary with move to new headquarters AustralianmaritimeengineeringcompanyOMCInternational(OMC),therecognisedworldleaderinreal-timeUnderKeelClearanceManagement(UKCM),iscelebratingitsmilestone30thanniversarywithamovetolargerMelbourneheadquarters.
FounderandExecutiveDirectorDrTerryO’BrienAMsaidOMChasmovedfromHarperSttonearby126TrenerryCrescent,Abbotsfordtohouseitsgrowingworkforceofmorethan50employees,aswellastoallowforpostgraduatestudentsandshortstaycollaborativevisitswithglobalmaritimepartners.“Wearehiringmorestafftomeetagrowingdomesticandinternationalworkload,aresponsetoanincreasingrecognitionofourDUKC®e-Navtechnologyastheindustrystandardforsafeandefficientreal-timemanagementofUKC,”hesaid.
OMC’scustomisedDUKC®systemsareoperationalinsomeofthelargestbulk,containerandmulti-cargoportsintheworld,includingthePilbaraironoreportsinnorthWesternAustralia(beneficiariesincludeBHPBilliton,RioTintoandFortescueMetalsGroup)andinsomeoftheworld’smostimportantwaterways,includingTorresStraitandCanada’sStLawrenceRiverfromMontrealtoQuebecCity.
DUKC®innovatorDrO’BrienpioneeredhisfirstsystemduringsixyearsofdevelopmentandtestingbeforeitbecameoperationalatthecoalexportportofHayPoint,QueenslandinMarch1993.ItwasthefirstdynamicUKCsystemimplementedanywhereintheworldandmonitoredtheUKCuntil12hourspriortotheship’sdeparturefromtheberth.Itdeliveredeconomicbenefitsofmorethan30cmextradraftcomparedtotheexistingStaticUKCruleformostsailings.Duringthefollowingyearsoffurtherincrementalsystemrefinements,theincreasedmaximumdraftallowedmorecargotobeloadedinfavourableswellandtideconditions.
“Inmanycases,DUKC®enableslargeshipstosailupto1mdeeperthanpermittedbytraditionalandnecessarilyconservativeStaticrules,andnotonlytoloadmorecargosafelybutalsotosailwithwidertidalwindows,”DrO’Briensaid.“TheconceptofsailingwithlesswaterunderthekeelwasandstillisaconcernforsomeRegulatorsbutDUKC®isalwayssaferthanStaticUKCrulesbecauseOMC’sreal-timetechnologyconsidersallthedynamicvariables-aswellasshipsize-intheUKCdecisionmaking.”
SailingincreasinglylargershipsclosertotheseabeddemandsimpeccableattentiontodetailandDrO’BrienstressedthatOMC’sextensiveexperienceinscreeningallinputdatainawidevarietyofportsettingsandenvironmentsaroundtheworldprovidescertaintyinthisfirststepincustomisingasystemforanewportorwaterway.HesaidOMChasimplementedametoceanprocessingandQualityAssuranceframeworkbasedontheinternationalguidelines‘QualityAssuranceofRealTimeOceanographicData’.
OMC’sDUKC®offersareliableandcomprehensivesolutionformaintainingasafeUKCwhilesailingthroughdepthrestrictedchannels,whichisfullyvalidatedbyitsuniquetrackrecordofsafesailing-over24years-withnotouchbottomincident.ThisAustraliantechnology,developedinhouse,hascontributed
MEDIA RELEASE 29 May 2017
29 May 2017
significantlytothesafetyandefficiencyofshippingbulkandcontainercargo,earnedthousandsofexportdollarswhileremainingunmatchedbyanyotheremergingcompetitor.
NoothermaritimeorganisationofferssuchaspecificfocusontheverticaldimensionofUKCmanagement.UnderthecontinuedleadershipofDrO’BrienandhissonPeter,whomanagesthecompany’sday-to-dayoperationsasCEO,theOMCteamcontinuestodevelopandsupportnewfunctionalitiesforDUKC®technologywhichisoperationalin22portsandwaterwaysaroundtheworld.Thelatestreleaseisweb-
basedDUKC®Series5whichisnowoperationalin11oftheseportsandwaterways.DrO’Briensaidthatin
additiontotoday’supgradeatHayPoint(fittinglythefirstDUKC®port)andlastweek’scommissioningofanupgradeforGeraldton,Series5hasbeenrolledouttoRioTinto’sCapeLambertandDampierportslastyear;toNapier,Newcastle,ArriumSpencerGulf,WhyallaandGeelongin2015,FremantleandMontreal-StLawrenceRiverin2014,PortHedlandin2013andTorresStrait(AMSA)in2011.Theweb-basedSeries5SystemusesAIStoprovidecontinuousreal-timemonitoringofUKCbetweenberthandfairway.Ittakesintoaccountallthedynamicvariables,suchastides,wavesandcurrents,affectingthenetamountofwaterunderthekeelateachpointonthetransitandmostimportantlyallowsspeedchangesthroughoutthetransittominimisesquat.OMCprovidescriticalmonitoringandsupportofitsDUKC®shipsonthewater24/7,365daysayear.
EfficiencygainsforusersofDUKC®Series5
WhilemaintainingsafetyisalwaysOMC’sfirstconcern,therecentadvancesinitsSeries5systemshavecontributedtosignificanteconomicgainsforitsusers.Forexample,DPCM®(DynamicPortCapacityModel)isanoptionalstand-aloneextracapabilitytoDUKC®Series5andhelpsmaximiseportthroughputandchannelcapacity.TheDPCM®hasbeenappliedatPortHedland–theworld’slargestbulkexportport–andhelpedincreasemodelledportthroughputbyabout80mtpaforaminimalinvestment.Alsorecently,inajointeffortwithPilbaraPortsAuthority(PPA),OMC’sSeries5systemrecentlyhelpedenablethelargesteverironoreshipment–270,006tonnesontheFortescueMetalsGrouploadedshipHLTUBARAO-toleavePortHedlandatarecordsailingdraftof19.95metres.
“OMCcontinuestoworkcloselywithPPAtooptimiseclearancedepthsandmakethemostofthehighestpartofthetidetosendoutasmanyofthebiggerironorecarriersaspossible,”DrO’Briensaid.“Oneofourmostsignificantjointachievementswasin2015whenarecordeightshipssailedforthefirsttimeontheonetideunderDUKC®advicefromPortHedland,whichhasalargetidalrangeandlongtransittime.”Meanwhile,atthesmallerregionalbulkportofGeelong,theVictorianRegionalChannelsAuthorityadoptedDUKC®in2015asawayofadmittinglargershipswithmorecargo,withoutrequiringanychangestothechannelinfrastructure.Intherightcircumstances,shipsmaybeallowedupto12metresdraftandthatmeansacargoupliftof1350to3000tonnespership.Foroneoftheport’sshippers,VivaEnergy,eachextra10cminshipdraftresultsinasavingofabout$1millionayear.InFebruary,DUKC®technologyplayedakeyroleinhelpinganothershipperGrainCorpsetnewtonnagerecordsforitsGeelongoperations,thusimprovingtheglobalcompetivenessofVictoriangrains.UnderDUKC®advicetheNordPolluxsailedwithmorethan61,900tonnes(biggestsingleshipmentofcanolafullyloadedinGeelong),theTomahawkdepartedcarryingalmost61,800tonnes(biggestsingleshipmentofwheatfullyloadedinGeelong)andtheTwinkleIslandsailedwithabout62,500tonnesofbarley(largestshipmentofthegrainfullyloadedinGeelong).
GreaterawarenessofDUKC®asariskmitigationtoolWhilerecognisingthehugeeconomicbenefitsofDUKC®technology,DrO’Briensaidmanyportsandsafetyauthoritieswereincreasinglyseeingthehugesafetyadvantagesofinstallingcustomisedsystemsasariskmitigationtool.“ThiscapabilitywasthemainreasonwhyPortofMelbourneCorporation(PoMC)implementedourtechnologyafteralongthoroughprocessofindependentvalidationandtrialling,”hesaid.“ThisproofofthecapabilityofourtechnologytoaccuratelymanagetheUKCoflargeshipstransitingthesometimestreacherousentrancetoPortPhillipBay,oneoftheworld’smostchallengingwatersforshipnavigation,increasedawarenessofitsafetyadvantage.WhatmustberememberedherewithOMC’sfocusontheverticaldimensionofUKCisthat,whileitisachallengetomodeltheshipasittransitsthewaterwayinreal-time,ithasthepotentialtoofferoftensignificanteconomicandenvironmentalbenefitswhilemitigatingtheriskofagrounding.”GreaterawarenessofDUKC®asaconjunctivedredgingdesigntoolDrO’BriensaidOMC’stechnologyalsominimisesdredgingbyliterallytakingshipsdeeperonacomputerscreen.Overtheyears,DUKC®’smethodologyhasbeensuccessfullyusedtodesigntheverticaldimensionsofanewchannel,ortodeepenanexistingchannel,soastominimisechanneldredgingquantitiesandassociatedenvironmentaleffects.WhenaDUKC®systemisalreadyinstalledinaport,DUKC®canincreaseportcapacitywithlesscapitaldredgingbecausethissoftwarecanbeusedconjunctivelywithdredgingtocreatethechanneldepthprofilewhichmatchestheUKCrequirementsthroughoutthetransitsothattheamountofmaterialdredgedismatchedtothedepthsrequiredfortheshipstransiting.“WhileitistruethatthemostoptimaldredgingdesignispossibleonlywhenaDUKC®operationalsystemhasbeeninstalled,thiscostisvalueaddingandisamortisedintothesavingsindredgingcostsandintooperationalefficiencygains,”hesaid.“InthePortofTaranaki,NewZealand,OMCreducedtheport’splanneddredgingcostsbyapproximately50%throughtheintroductionofDUKC®.”Overtheyears,OMChaswondredgingoptimisationstudiesforanumberofportsincludingDarwin,AnketellPoint,CapeLambert,OakajeeandPortHedland.DrO’BriensaidOMCdoesongoingworkwithPPAandRioTintoontargetingthedredgingrequiredtooptimiseproductivity.
Hesaidthata“keypartofOMC’smaintenanceandsupportismanagingtheport’sbathymetricdataandsiltationissuesandweareworkingregularlywithanumberofourclients,particularlyafterstormsorcyclones,onmanagingchangingbathymetry.ItisastandardapproachofOMCtoprovidesupportservicestoanalyseandupdatewithindaysthebathymetrydatausedbytheDUKC®systemasnewsurveysbecomeavailablethusprovidingquick-turnaroundemergencybathymetricupdates.”
R&Dinitiatives
DrO’BriensaidOMC’sR&DDepartmentcontinuestodevelopnewproductsandsolutionsinresponsetouserneed.TheseincludeOMCiHeave®whichmeasuresshipmotionsinextremeweatherconditions.PortsincludingBrisbane,Melbourne,Geraldton,Portland,SanFranciscoandHalifaxhaveusedOMCiHeave®forhighlyaccuraterecordingsofreal-timeshipmotionsinlargeswellswheretraditionalmethodsofmeasuringwaveresponsesbyplacingaDGPSunitonthebowaretooriskyduetotheheavyseas.“HavingagooddatabaseofmeasuredwaveresponsemotionsclarifieswhetherornotaUKCproblemexists,”DrO’Briensaid.“Thesecanalsobeusedbyportsforvalidationneedssuchas,forexample,theintroductionoflargecontainerships.”
OMCplaysleadingroleinUKCMinformationexchange
AsOMCcelebratesits30thanniversarythismonth,itcontinuestoplayitsleadingroleasthedeveloperandoperatorofreal-timeUKCsystems.Inrecognitionofitsinternationalstanding,OMChasbeeninvitedtoparticipateastheExpertContributortonewdevelopmentsinUKCmanagementinformationexchangefore-navigation.OMCisprovidingitstechnologytoleadthecurrentIHOs-100UnderKeelClearanceManagementInformationProjectTeam(UKCMPT)whosebriefistodevelopanIHOS-129basedproductspecificationforUKCMinformationtoenabletheoutputsofUKCMservicestobedisplayedforusers(IHO,2015).ThisProjectTeamcomprisesanumberofIHOMemberStatesincludingSweden,France,Korea,USA,Russia,Finland,UKandTheNetherlandsandischairedbyarepresentativefromtheAustralianMaritimeSafetyAuthority(AMSA).Thisworkisexpectedtobecompletedin2018.
ThisinternationalrecognitionoftheleadingroleofOMCinthedevelopmentofUKCMsystemsbuildsupontheearlierrecognitionbyPIANCininvitingDrO’BrientoparticipateastheonlyAustralianrepresentativeoninternationalWorkingGroupsforthe‘HarbourApproachChannelsDesignguidelines’(PIANCReportNo.121publishedin2014)and‘UseofHydroMeteoInformationforPortAccessandOperation’(PIANCReportNo.117publishedin2012.)OMCisalsoanindustrialmemberofIALA,andparticipatesintheworkofitsVTSande-Navigationcommittees.
Lookingahead,DrO’Briensaidthatasothercompaniesstarttoenterthenichebusinessofreal-timeUKCtechnologyandmakeclaimsthattheycandeliverreliableandvalidriskmanagement,itiscrucialthatgovernmentandmaritimesafetyauthoritiesshouldbenchmarkanynewproposalagainsttheonlyprovenUKCmanagementsystemwhichhassignificantlong-termvalidity-thatisalongtrackrecordofsafesailingswithnogroundings.
“OurAustraliantechnologyisworld’sbestpracticeformodellingthecriticalverticaldimensionofUKCandtherehavebeenmorethan160,000transitsworldwideusingDUKC®advicewithoutasinglegroundingincidentinthepast24years,”DrO’Briensaid.“ThereisaDUKC®assistedshipsailingsomewhereintheworldeveryhourwhichiswellworthcelebrating!”
*On16November2015,OMC’smaritimetechnologywinsthe2015InternationalBulkJournal(IBJ)SafetyinBulkHandling(Marine)Award,announcedatadinnerinAntwerp.
*IntheQueen’sBirthdayHonoursListinJune2015,OMCInternationalExecutiveDirectorDrTerryO’BrienisappointedaMember(AM)oftheOrderofAustraliafor“significantservicetomaritimeengineering,tothedevelopmentofinnovativemarinenavigationequipmentandtoeducation”.
*On19November2014,OMCExecutiveDirectorDrTerryO’BrienAMisinductedintotheAustralianMaritimeHallofFamefor“makinganoutstandingcontributiontoAustralia’smaritimeindustry”duringanimpressivecareerspanningmorethan50years.
*On19November2012,atanawardsceremonydinnerinHamburg,OMCwinsthe2012IBJ‘InnovativeTechnology’AwardforshipmotionmeasurementinstrumentOMCiHeave®.
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