Category: Latest News

It has been another exceptionally busy and rewarding year for PSM, with some high-profile project wins for Naval vessels and new product launches throughout the year.

Further project wins this year included full tank gauging system refits for the Mount Ventoux Ro-Ro Ferry and Cactus Crude Oil Tanker, a system upgrade for the Farsaell Fishing Vessel, and several full systems supplied for newbuild Superyachts, all testimony to the flexibility of our APT1000 Transmitter / VPM Display Systems.

We have also launched special variants of our Connect Monitoring System, to provide a dedicated vessel trim, heel and draught monitoring system in response to customer enquiries, and this has already been installed on several vessels, including Capesize Cargo Ships and Shannon Ferries as pictured below.

Closer to home, after our offices and factory were damaged by flooding, we have undertaken a compete restoration and upgrade project, which has streamlined and improved our production processes and working environments.

We are already planning ahead for 2024, and we look forward to sharing some exciting new developments with you in the new year.

We’d like to take this opportunity to wish all our valued customers, suppliers and agents a very Happy Christmas and Best Wishes for 2024 from everyone at PSM.

The PSM offices will be closed over the Christmas period from Friday 22^nd December until Tuesday 2nd January.

Offshore and floating wind platforms are becoming increasingly more popular as a viable renewable energy resource and PSM has been leading the way in developing reliable monitoring and control systems, that can optimise platform stability and monitor performance of these platforms.

Our new ‘Connect’ system has enabled us to enhance our platform monitoring even further with digital technology that delivers fully dynamic monitoring. ‘Connect’ is built around a central processing module, that interfaces directly with the company’s intelligent digital sensors, via a multidrop network and receives other input signals via a range of interface cards.

The ‘Connect’ system ensures continuous, accurate monitoring of ballast and service tank levels and multiple point draught measurements, whilst also monitoring wave height, temperature and pressure. Multiple display points are connected via a single ethernet link, presenting information according to the application or operational area and are available to be read by the platform’s management system at any time. Internet connectivity additionally allows remote updating and configuration.

The benefits of accurate monitoring ensure efficient and safe operation and optimum platform stability to help secure a bright future for offshore and floating wind farms as a major renewable energy alternative.

With most of our business transactions being conducted online and our company data held in the cloud, the security of the information we send, receive and store is of upmost importance, both from an operational perspective and in handling sensitive customer data.

This is especially the case for the various governmental / Naval projects we work on. Proposals and project documentation may often only be submitted via a client’s own secure portal and this practice is now extending to Classification Societies for product approval purposes.

Before access to a client’s portal is granted, a company will normally have to demonstrate that they have the necessary protection in place for handling sensitive data. This year at PSM, we have undergone a complete change in our I.T. infrastructure, with it now being entirely cloud based and making use of the latest Microsoft applications. All users may only download applications to their local machine via a secure central portal, and only applications which are held on the parent company Scanjet’s portal may be used.

In addition, this year we have been certified under the UK Government Cyber Essentials scheme, where an approved independent company assesses all aspects of data handling and tests for vulnerabilities. We are delighted that PSM met and has been accredited to the enhanced standard of Cyber Essentials Plus.

Building on this, many companies in the Aerospace, Defence and Security sectors also use a further accreditation known as JOSCAR provided by Hellios. This is a wider reaching evaluation of a potential supplier, taking in all aspects of its organisation, operation, production standards and finances. We have held JOSCAR accreditation for a number of years and recognise its value as providing reassurance to our customers, and in some cases a mandatory compliance.

Since its inception, PSM has always been assessed for and held ISO 9000 Certification, and has this year been recertified to the latest standard.

When our parent company, Scanjet, was acquired by Alfa Laval in 2022, we also gained access to a full suite of best business practice policies, which deal with all aspects of company operation and its interaction with its employees and clients.

Together, all these accreditations, practices, and policies ensure PSM continues to do all we can to ensure the safe handling of customer data and a professional and ethical approach to business.

Copies of all accreditations can be found on the PSM website.

We are thrilled to share that we recently marked a new milestone in its history by successfully hosting an inaugural online product training series in collaboration with partners from around the globe. With participants from 14 countries, our virtual event brought together 40 dedicated attendees.

The enthusiasm and engagement shown by all participants exceeded our expectations. We are proud to have successfully adapted to the virtual format, and it is great to witness how technology can bridge gaps and bring together maritime industry professionals worldwide.

But this is just the beginning! We are excited to announce that there are more events on the horizon.  Our next session will provide an in-depth look into the technical aspects of ‘Connect’, our Digital Monitoring System.

We extend our thanks to everyone who made our first online training series a resounding success and eagerly anticipate the opportunities that lie ahead.

Stay tuned as we continue our journey of learning, growth, and innovation.

If you are considering the selection of hydrostatic transmitters for both newbuild and retrofit tank gauging installations, it is important to consider the overall installed costs. PSM’s APT1000 transmitters are competitively priced, but it is also their configurability and ability to communicate over a network that really brings down the total costs.

Because the transmitter is programmable, it is simple to set up and install by connecting to a laptop using software provided by PSM free of charge. Parameters such as sensor fitting height tank depth, liquid specific gravity, and even a tank look-up table can all be stored, meaning that the 4-20mA output can be set over any range and to represent tank level or tank volume.

This flexibility also simplifies in-service support. Should your parameters change, for example, liquid with a different S.G. is to be used, or a transmitter is damaged and needs replacing, changes can easily be made onboard by the ship’s crew.

When used in its second operation mode, as a digital transmitter, real cost savings are even more apparent. A single cable point to point network connects all APT1000’s back to the display system, which typically saves fifty percent of the cable required for a conventional analogue system, where each transmitter requires its own cable. Additionally, no analogue to digital conversion modules are needed, providing a saving on hardware.

In digital mode it is possible to connect to a specific transmitter to set it up from any point on the network, saving commissioning time.

Completing the picture, PSM’s RFM function modules provide termination enclosures for simple construction of the network, and a purpose designed safety barrier offers protection for an entire network in a hazardous area. This single safety barrier replaces the need for an individual barrier to protect each transmitter, meaning further savings vs a conventional analogue system where a separate barrier is needed for each individual transmitter.

We have recently shipped a complete Scanjet PSM Connect system to the Vessel CACTUS (ex Nordic Mistral), a Double Hull Oil Tanker, built in 2002.

As part of the refit, we have supplied replacement APT1000 transmitters in titanium construction for all of the vessels ballast tanks and 4-point draught measurement. By configuring the APT1000 transmitters to operate in analogue 4-20mA mode, we were able to reuse the cabling from the existing system, which greatly reduced the cost and complexity of the upgrade.

The custom built central Connect acquisition panel contains signal converters and safety barriers, which deliver all tank level data as an RS485 Modbus signal into the main processing unit. The display is a remote 22” touchscreen connected to the Connect cabinet via a single ethernet cable, and display formatting is completely flexible depending on the specific application needs.

As well as outputting the current tank volumes and any alarm states to the remote display, the Connect cabinet also communicates with the existing Kongsberg AMS via a separate RS485 connection, delivering the same tank volume and alarm status data.

Being able to reuse the existing cabling, which meant a significant cost saving, was a key consideration in the Vessel owner’s selection of the Connect system, and we were delighted to be able to supply a cost-effective and reliable monitoring solution to them.

From a young age, I was intrigued and fascinated as to how things worked and would often be taking objects apart or trying to improve them, which led to the odd electrical shock and blown house fuse!

After leaving school, I joined a process control equipment manufacturing company on a 4-year apprenticeship, gaining ONC and HNC qualifications in mechanical engineering, and cementing my interest in instrumentation.

I started working at PSM in 1993 as a Production Technician, and over the past 30 years I have worked in all departments associated with the manufacture of our equipment; from in the machine shop, assembly, calibration, QA testing to packing. This has given me a complete understanding of how our equipment is designed, assembled, and operated. I have also had the opportunity to visit many countries to install, commission, and retrofit PSM instruments, which has given me a first-hand view of how they are applied in operation.

In my current role as Purchasing Manager, this experience has given me the knowledge needed to buy wisely for the company, and the importance of maintaining both good stock levels and strong relationships with our suppliers.

I am also a PSM STEMS Ambassador, which is an initiative to develop engineering skills in local school children.

Outside of work, my home life revolves around my wife and two children, spending time outdoors as much as possible in Ashdown Forest and the South Downs.

The PSM BLS 9200 Bilge Level Switch is a fully submersible marine approved float switch, designed, manufactured and approved to meet and exceed the requirements for applications on all classes of marine vessels and offshore installations. In particular, its proven reliable performance and robust construction have led to it being the instrument of choice in critical applications for superyachts, military vessels and offshore platforms.

When considering bilge switches, it can be easy for a ship builder to try and make cost savings by using cheaper instruments, which are often constructed with lower quality and less resilient materials. However, we believe that this approach compromises safety, and is a false economy, as maintenance and replacement costs will always exceed those of installing a sensor that will be able to withstand years of service in difficult environmental conditions, as is the case with the BLS 9200.

The all-stainless steel design of the BLS 9200 with EPR cable means it is resistant to seawater, fuel oil and hydraulic fluid and uses a two-bolt mounting bracket ensuring that installation is quick, simple and secure. The integral switch test level also allows for routine safety tests to be carried out.

The BLS 9200 can be tailored to customers’ exact requirements, and is why some of the world’s most prestigious superyacht builders have chosen the BLS 9200. It has been supplied to vessels constructed by Amels and Feadship in the Netherlands, Pendennis and Oyster in the UK, and Turquoise in Turkey.

Mont Ventoux is a Ro-Ro Ferry originally built in 1996. When its existing tank gauging system was in need of a replacement, PSM were contacted to provide a solution.

As a retrofit project, minimal modifications to existing mounting methods for the level transmitters and cabling requirements were essential, and our digital network solution was selected. This connects all tank level transmitters on a multi-drop network. requiring just one interconnecting cable for both power supply and signal.

We supplied a total of thirty-five transmitters for Ballast, Diesel, HFO, and Service Tanks, with a mix of internally and externally mounted sensors to re-use existing mounting points. All these transmitters were interconnected via PSM RFM junction boxes via two network cables, one for Hazardous Area transmitters, and one for Safe Area.

The networks terminated in the Engine Control Room where a small touchscreen display provided summary information on all tanks. This display communicated all information to a second touchscreen display on the Bridge and an additional larger 19” touchscreen in the Cargo Control Room. All the displays were interconnected by a single ethernet cable, which again reduced cabling needs and so costs.

Screen layouts were designed in line with the customer’s requirements, with both bar graph and tabular presentation of data. When operational, each display can be controlled individually to show either all tanks, or only those tanks of interest to the operator.

In the face of adversity, human resilience shines through, and businesses are no exception. Natural disasters can wreak havoc on even the most well-established companies, but it is how we respond to these challenges that defines our character and resilience. For PSM it has been a remarkable journey so far to recover from the devastating effects of flooding and emerge with a much-enhanced operating environment.

Overnight in November 2022, the stream close to the Scanjet PSM premises overflowed after exceptionally heavy rain fall, leading to widespread flooding of the nearby industrial estate. The PSM factory itself was engulfed by rapidly rising waters.  Thankfully, the level alarm fitted to the outside of the building alerted employees of the situation. They were able to enter the building and worked through the night clearing drains outside to try and help alleviate the water, whilst moving production equipment onto pallets to avoid damage and save inventory.

The damage to the infrastructure was extensive after being submerged in around 6 inches of murky water throughout the building.

Staff were initially disheartened seeing the impact of the flood on the factory and offices the following day, but quickly embraced the challenge, setting out on a journey to simultaneously maintain the day-to-day operations of the business whilst rebuilding the factory.

Restoring a factory is no small feat especially when production must continue, but all staff approached the task with determination. They immediately initiated a comprehensive assessment of the damage, involving experts in restoration works and insurance assessors to evaluate the situation and make a plan of action.

Six months into the restoration and the team can now see the end is in sight.

The offices have been relocated to the second floor to allow for an increase in production space, which now has new walls and flooring.

Rather than merely restoring the factory to its pre-flood state, we have taken the opportunity to optimise and improve our production processes. Redesigning the factory layout has streamlined workflows, optimised inventory management, and improved the working environment for all employees.

The journey is not over yet, and it will be a few more months before all production spaces are fully restored. However, we wanted to share and recognise the continued determination by everyone involved at Scanjet PSM to overcome the challenge.

We also want to thank all our customers and partners for your continued support and understanding.

We look forward to sharing the final outcome and welcoming our partners to visit our new and improved site.