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An AHTS vessel maintenance system is used to plan, execute and document maintenance for the machinery and specialised equipment aboard Anchor Handling Tug Supply vessels.
AHTS vessels combine conventional marine machinery with equipment designed for demanding offshore operations such as anchor handling, towing and supply support. Depending on vessel design and operational role, this can include powerful propulsion systems, anchor-handling winches, towing equipment, thrusters and specialised deck machinery.
A structured maintenance system connects this equipment with its maintenance requirements and the technical work performed throughout the vessel's operating life.
The core process is:
AHTS equipment → maintenance requirements → planned or corrective work → completion → maintenance history → technical readiness
Planned maintenance provides the structure for recurring technical work aboard an AHTS vessel.
Different equipment groups can have different maintenance requirements based on manufacturer recommendations, operating conditions, equipment configuration and other applicable requirements.
A maintenance system helps organise these activities around the relevant assets, identify upcoming work and document completed maintenance.
This keeps maintenance requirements connected to the equipment they belong to rather than managing schedules and records separately.
Anchor-handling and towing equipment is one of the defining differences between an AHTS vessel and other offshore support vessels.
Depending on vessel configuration, relevant equipment can include anchor-handling winches, towing winches, drums, brakes, hydraulic systems and associated deck machinery.
These systems require structured inspection, maintenance and testing according to applicable manufacturer, class and regulatory requirements. For relevant vessels and equipment, this includes requirements for anchor-handling winches and associated equipment under SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-13.
Maintenance records can document completed work, inspection findings and previous equipment issues, creating a technical history that supports future maintenance decisions.
This specialised equipment is also what distinguishes AHTS vessel maintenance from maintenance management for a platform supply vessel.
Propulsion capability is central to AHTS operations.
Depending on vessel design, the propulsion arrangement can include main engines, generators, propulsion motors, propellers, thrusters and associated control and auxiliary systems.
Each asset can have its own maintenance requirements and technical history.
A structured maintenance system allows these requirements to be organised at equipment level so that planned work, corrective maintenance and previous technical activity remain associated with the relevant machinery.
Where maintenance requirements are based on operating hours, these can form part of the maintenance planning process alongside calendar-based or other applicable intervals.
Not all maintenance can be planned in advance.
Failures, breakdowns and technical issues involving propulsion, deck machinery, winches or other equipment can create corrective work that needs to be documented and followed through to completion.
Connecting corrective work to the affected asset creates a traceable process:
technical issue → corrective work → completed maintenance → equipment history
This gives vessel and shore-based technical teams a clearer record of previous problems and the work performed in response.
Completed maintenance becomes more valuable when it contributes to a reliable technical history.
Maintenance records can document what work was performed, when it was completed and which equipment was involved. Checklists, images and supporting technical documents can provide additional context where required.
Over time, this creates a structured history for propulsion machinery, anchor-handling equipment, towing systems and other vessel assets.
That history can help technical teams understand previous maintenance activity, recurring equipment problems and upcoming maintenance requirements.
Maintenance execution also depends on having the required parts and materials available.
AHTS vessels can contain specialised machinery and deck equipment with components associated with particular systems or vessel configurations.
Connecting spare-parts information with equipment and maintenance helps technical teams understand which resources may be required for planned and corrective work.
This creates continuity between the maintenance being prepared and the equipment it supports.
Many AHTS vessels use dynamic positioning where controlled vessel positioning is required during offshore operations.
Where a vessel is equipped with a DP system, its associated equipment also forms part of the vessel's technical maintenance environment.
Relevant assets can include thrusters, power-related equipment, sensors, position-reference equipment and associated control systems.
An AHTS maintenance system can support planned and corrective maintenance records for this equipment.
Dedicated DP assurance, testing and operational requirements remain subject to the applicable class, regulatory and industry framework.
The concepts overlap, but they differ in specificity.
Offshore CMMS software describes the broader maintenance-system category used across different offshore vessel types.
AHTS vessel maintenance systems apply structured maintenance management specifically to Anchor Handling Tug Supply vessels and their combination of propulsion, towing, anchor-handling and specialised deck equipment.
Similarly, PSV maintenance management software applies maintenance management to the equipment and operational environment of Platform Supply Vessels.
The underlying maintenance principles are similar, but the vessel equipment and technical context differ.
STAR Suite™ supports planned and corrective maintenance within a structured vessel equipment environment.
Maintenance plans can be organised according to operational requirements, while work and service requests support additional technical activity. Flexible checklists, images and documentation can provide context for maintenance work, and failures and breakdowns can be recorded as part of the vessel's technical history.
For AHTS vessels, this provides a consistent structure for connecting specialised equipment, maintenance activity and technical records throughout day-to-day vessel maintenance.
Offshore CMMS software — the broader CMMS approach for maintenance across offshore vessel types.
PSV maintenance management software — maintenance management for platform supply vessel machinery, deck and cargo-related equipment.
OSV fleet management software — fleet-wide technical visibility and coordination across multiple offshore support vessels.