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Use cases in action

Where ShipSmith earns its keep

The true test of any technology is how it performs under pressure - on deck, in the engine room, during an inspection. These scenarios span every department: ship and shore, officer and engineer, urgency and planning.

01 Engine room

Midnight alarm, one engineer on watch

It is 02:40. The 4th Engineer is alone on UMS watch when an L.O. Pump Low Pressure alarm starts flashing. The manual is vague. The superintendent is asleep ashore.

Without ShipSmith

The engineer guesses, resets the alarm, or escalates. Time wasted, risk elevated.

With ShipSmith

  • Actual pump failure - check pump RPM, motor temperature.
  • Faulty pressure sensor - verify readings via gauge.
  • Clogged suction strainer - open and inspect.

→ In 60 seconds the engineer has clarity, confidence, and a roadmap. Crisis averted.

02 Bridge

Port State Control inspection - Singapore

The vessel arrives at Singapore anchorage. A PSC officer boards and asks the Master for the latest fire-drill records, LSA checklists, and GMDSS log entries.

Without ShipSmith

Paper logs are incomplete. A last-minute scramble begins. Tension escalates.

With ShipSmith

  • Lifeboats tested on 1st June.
  • EEBD pressure check on 3rd June.
  • Foam monitor test on 8th June. All entries verified - generating PDF now.

→ ShipSmith acts as an inspection co-pilot, ensuring the Master is always prepared.

03 Deck

Cadet learning ballast operation

A deck cadet is on his first voyage, asked to assist with ballast operations - but he does not fully understand the procedure or precautions.

Without ShipSmith

He hesitates, waits for a senior, or proceeds unsure. Learning is slow and stressful.

With ShipSmith

  • Check the ballast plan and required trim.
  • Verify tanks to be filled / emptied.
  • Confirm pump mode and valve line-up via mimic.
  • Watch for over-pressurization. Want a simulated walkthrough with diagrams?

→ Training becomes personalized, real-time and pressure-free - raising safety and confidence.

04 Tech superintendent

Fault diagnosis from shore

The 2nd Engineer reports fluctuating RPM on one AE. The superintendent must assess whether it is a critical failure or can be deferred to the next port.

Without ShipSmith

Long calls, unclear information, and a decision made without the full history.

With ShipSmith

  • Common causes include governor instability, injector fouling, air-filter clogging, or load-sensor errors.
  • Based on your last PMS, AE#2’s governor was due for calibration 40 hours ago.

→ ShipSmith pulls historical data and helps the superintendent make data-backed decisions faster.

05 Office tech team

Preparing for an annual class survey

A fleet vessel is due for its Annual Class Survey. The office team wants a preparation list customized to the vessel’s class (DNV) and equipment history.

Without ShipSmith

Manual collation across spreadsheets, emails and binders - slow and error-prone.

With ShipSmith

  • Main engine maintenance log (last 12 months).
  • Auxiliary machinery PMS status.
  • Certificate renewal dates (overdue: none).
  • Fire detection and shutdown system test logs. Want a PDF with the crew assignment list?

→ Pre-survey prep becomes proactive, structured and stress-free.

06 Procurement

Reporting a spare requirement

The 3rd Engineer identifies a failing sea-water pump gasket and wants to report it properly for urgent procurement.

Without ShipSmith

Incomplete specs cause back-and-forth, delays, and the wrong part being shipped.

With ShipSmith

  • Part: Gasket for Sea Water Pump. Make: Kirloskar, Model: SWP350.
  • Reason: leakage observed, visible wear.
  • Suggested delivery: Port of Colombo, 30th June ETA - drafting the email to purchasing now.

→ Procurement becomes efficient and accurate - no missed parts or miscommunication.

07 Crew welfare

A hard night, far from home

It is week 14 of a long contract. A junior engineer is exhausted, homesick and quietly second-guessing whether to sign on again. There is no one to talk to at 2 AM.

Without ShipSmith

The feeling festers in silence. Morale drops, focus slips, and a good seafarer decides not to return.

With ShipSmith

  • A private, judgment-free chat in his own language.
  • Gentle check-ins and morale support through the watch.
  • Connects him to welfare resources and his manager when he’s ready.

→ Crew Buddy turns an isolating night into a conversation - supporting wellbeing and retention.

08 Safety

Hot work in an enclosed space

The bosun must carry out welding inside a ballast tank. The permit-to-work and gas checks have to be exactly right before anyone enters.

Without ShipSmith

A rushed or incomplete permit - the single most common cause of serious enclosed-space incidents.

With ShipSmith

  • Generates the enclosed-space entry + hot-work permit.
  • Lists the gas readings and ventilation checks required.
  • Confirms rescue standby and equipment before entry.

→ The Safety agent makes sure every box is genuinely ticked - before, not after.

09 Electrical

Blackout at sea

A main breaker trips and the ship loses power off a busy coast. The duty engineer must restore supply fast while finding the root cause.

Without ShipSmith

Frantic resets in the dark, guessing which breaker and why, as the vessel drifts.

With ShipSmith

  • Guides the emergency generator and blackout-recovery sequence.
  • Narrows the cause: overload, earth fault or a protection relay.
  • Cross-checks the automation alarm log for the trigger.

→ Power restored faster - with the real fault identified, not just the symptom reset.

10 Voyage

Next port, new rules

The vessel is bound for a port it hasn’t called at in years. The Master needs the latest local requirements, restrictions and documentation.

Without ShipSmith

Scattered emails to agents, and a scramble on arrival when a form or certificate turns out to be missing.

With ShipSmith

  • Summarizes port requirements, ECA limits and documentation.
  • Flags exactly what must be ready before arrival.
  • Feeds the crew-change and stores plan for that call.

→ The bridge arrives prepared - no surprises at the pilot station.

11 Manning

A sign-off, weeks out

A chief officer is due to sign off in three weeks at a port still to be confirmed. The office must line up a qualified reliever and a clean handover.

Without ShipSmith

Spreadsheets, phone calls and a last-minute scramble that risks a gap - or an unqualified match.

With ShipSmith

  • Matches qualified, available candidates to the vacancy.
  • Plans the crew change against the voyage and port.
  • Drafts the handover so context transfers cleanly.

→ The Manning agent turns crew-change planning from guesswork into a plan.

12 Onboarding

Day one on a new ship

A newly joined fourth engineer has never seen this vessel’s machinery layout - and he’s on watch tonight.

Without ShipSmith

Days of shadowing and a stack of manuals before he’s genuinely useful - if anyone has time to teach him.

With ShipSmith

  • Walks him through this vessel’s specific systems.
  • Answers “where is…” and “how does this one work” instantly.
  • Tracks familiarization and competency as he goes.

→ A new joiner reaches confident, safe independence far faster.

The impact

Small interactions, massive gains

Situation
Without ShipSmith
With ShipSmith
Alarm response
Guesswork, delay
Instant diagnosis and checklist
PSC inspection
Paper search, missing records
Pre-filled reports, instant answers
Crew training
Manual-only, time-intensive
Interactive, ship-specific learning
Office collaboration
Long calls, unclear info
Shared AI memory, structured reporting
Spare parts requisition
Incomplete specs, delays
Auto-filled, technically complete request
Survey prep
Manual collation
AI-curated checklists with task delegation

The sea has evolved. So must we.

Change one interaction. Change the outcome.

Start with one vessel. Upload your SOPs and a key manual or two. Watch how quickly the crew takes to it - then expand, customize and scale.

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