Compact Control At Sea

GE’s Marine Solutions introduced SeaLyte, the company’s latest technology in vessel control and dynamic positioning (DP) system.

The new solution complements GE’s bespoke SeaStream solutions and is designed to provide a structured and standardized package to better serve customers with smaller vessels for offshore support and merchant markets.

GE said marine companies are facing increased cost pressure to get through the current market downcycle. In response to the challenge, GE’s SeaLyte offers a range of configurable product solutions. Reduced hardware embedded in the system brings reduced complexity, leading to reduced CAPEX and therefore enabling a highly cost-effective solution for customers, the company said.

“Side-by-side consultation with our customers has guided the development and application of the new range of vessel automation, control and dynamic positioning systems to the market. It’s the way we ensure that SeaLyte responds to industry challenges and provides much needed flexibility and cost-efficiency for effective maritime operations,” said Tim Schweikert, president & CEO, GE’s Marine Solutions.

The SeaLyte solution streamlines technology of the SeaStream solution and offers a range of configurable options within a standardized package to help customers achieve their performance goals more cost-effectively, the company said.

SeaLyte comprises two standalone products: the SeaLyte Vessel Control System (VCS) and SeaLyte DP. Both can be fully integrated into one package or used independently with third-party technologies, providing much-needed flexibility to accommodate and integrate with existing or pre-selected sub-systems on board vessels, GE said.

There is a trend for various independent elements of electronic equipment to have commonality such as shared interfaces with other sub-systems. SeaLyte provides an intuitive touch screen with high-resolution graphics that is suitable for use with third-party subsystems, the company said.

SeaLyte VCS constitutes a platform of integrated functions, including machinery alarm and monitoring, machinery and auxiliary systems control, optional power management and mission-specific systems such as cargo handling. Although designed to automate smaller types of vessels, SeaLyte VCS is not restricted in its functionality or class compliance, the company said.

SeaLyte DP System is an automatic position and heading control system with manual and automatic position control, heading control, joystick maneuvering and a user-friendly interface to ships’ systems and reference equipment.

SeaLyte DP is Class 1 and Class 2 compliant. There are numerous options for the operator station available with different levels of sophistication and corresponding levels of functionality to cost-effectively meet the needs of each shipowner, shipbuilder and DP operator.