System Flow Overview

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Integrated Methods

Maritime Chemical Management: System Process Flow

1. Inputs
Vessel
Reports
Shore
Reports
Supplier
Data
2. Processing
Integration
& Validation
Chemical
Analysis
ROB
Calculations
3. Analytics
Predictive
Models
Compliance
Monitoring
Performance
Metrics
4. Outputs
Dashboards
Auto
Reports
Alerts
5. End Users
Fleet
Managers
Vessel
Operations
Compliance
Teams

Detailed Data Processing Workflow

The system excels at transforming unstructured data from operational reports into actionable intelligence. The automated workflow is as follows:

1. Data Ingestion

An automated service monitors an inbox for key documents, including T-11 Chemical Inventory forms, monthly testing logs, and service reports, typically sent as PDF attachments.

2. Secure Storage

Incoming files are immediately archived in a secure AWS S3 bucket, creating a durable and auditable data lake of all original documentation.

3. Data Extraction

An AWS Lambda function triggers on new file uploads. It uses Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and intelligent parsing to extract key data points: vessel name, date, chemical levels (ROB), test results, and technician comments.

4. Validation & Analysis

The structured data is fed into the core processing engine for validation. The engine calculates consumption rates, compares water quality against manufacturer limits, and computes Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

5. Insight Generation

Finally, the analyzed data powers interactive dashboards with rich graphical representations, triggers automated alerts for anomalies (e.g., low inventory, off-spec tests), and generates comprehensive reports for fleet managers and compliance teams. The alert system compares real-time data against the official guidance values provided by suppliers like Drew Marine and WSS to ensure strict adherence to their standards.

Core Features

  • Real-time Inventory Monitoring: Live tracking of all chemical levels.
  • Automated Consumption Analysis: Identifies trends and flags deviations from norms.
  • Predictive ROB Calculations: Forecasts remaining days of supply to prevent shortages.
  • Multi-supplier Integration: Seamlessly handles data from Drew Marine, WSS, and others.
  • Interactive Data Visualization: User-friendly dashboards with graphical representations of chemical trends, consumption rates, and compliance status.
  • Supplier-Specific Alerting: Triggers alerts based on deviations from the official guidance values and operational limits provided by both Drew Marine and WSS.
  • Compliance Reporting: Automated generation of reports for regulatory adherence.

Technical Architecture

Data Sources

The platform ingests data from three primary sources:
  1. Vessel Operations: T-11 reports, consumption logs, and delivery notes.
  2. Supplier Networks: Supply records and service reports from chemical suppliers.
  3. Document Storage: All raw files (PDFs, spreadsheets) are stored and processed from AWS S3.

Chemical Categories Monitored

  • Boiler Water (BWT): DREWPLEX AT, DREWPLEX OX, AMERZINE, AGK100, AUTOTREAT, OXYGENSCAVENGERPLUS.
  • Cooling Water (CWT): LIQUIDEWT, ROCOR NB.

Quality Assurance & Data Integrity

  • Validation Rules: The system sanitizes inputs, validates dates for temporal consistency, and standardizes chemical names and units across all sources.
  • Error Handling: Gracefully manages missing data, uses fallback calculations, and provides clear alerts for data gaps to ensure reliability.

Operational Benefits

  • For Fleet Managers: Enables proactive maintenance, optimizes procurement costs, ensures compliance, and mitigates operational risks.
  • For Vessel Crew: Provides immediate inventory status, helps optimize consumption, and centralizes all treatment records and documentation.

System Integration & Infrastructure

  • Database: Utilizes MongoDB for flexible, scalable data storage and high-performance queries.
  • Cloud Services: Built on AWS, leveraging S3 for storage, Lambda for serverless processing, and API Gateway for secure data access.