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An AHTS (Anchor Handling Tug Supply) vessel maintenance system is a planned maintenance and compliance management platform configured for the specialised technical requirements of anchor handling tug supply vessels — powerful offshore workboats that perform anchor handling operations for mobile drilling units, towing services for offshore structures, and supply duties for offshore installations. The maintenance system must accommodate the high-power propulsion systems, large-capacity anchor handling winches and towing equipment, DP systems and the specialised deck equipment that defines the AHTS vessel’s operational capability.
AHTS vessels are among the most technically demanding vessel types in offshore operations. Their main propulsion systems — typically diesel-electric with multiple azimuth thrusters or conventional high-power diesel-mechanical drives with controllable pitch propellers — must deliver the high bollard pull outputs required for anchor handling operations under sustained load conditions that stress machinery well beyond the demands of normal transit. The anchor handling winch system, which may handle wire or chain loads of thousands of tonnes, requires a rigorous maintenance programme that addresses wear, fatigue and the hydraulic systems that drive it. A maintenance system that treats an AHTS like a standard merchant vessel, without accommodating this equipment complexity, will not serve the Chief Engineer or Technical Superintendent effectively.
The anchor handling winch is the primary commercial equipment on an AHTS vessel. Winch drum inspections, wire rope assessments, hydraulic system services, brake inspections and load tests must all be scheduled and documented according to manufacturer recommendations and classification society requirements. Wire rope management on an AHTS is particularly demanding: the anchor handling wire undergoes severe mechanical stress during operations, and its condition must be monitored continuously against discard criteria. A maintenance system that tracks wire rope running hours, operational cycles and inspection findings — and alerts the deck officer when replacement is due — is a direct safety and operational risk management tool.
AHTS vessels with diesel-electric propulsion systems have a complex maintenance picture that spans multiple prime movers, large electric motors, frequency converters and azimuth thruster units. Each component has its own maintenance intervals, its own spare parts requirements and its own classification society survey obligations. The main engine hours on an AHTS engaged in anchor handling operations accumulate at high rates during periods of intensive activity, meaning that running-hours-based maintenance intervals trigger more frequently than on supply vessels doing similar voyages. The maintenance system must track running hours per engine and per thruster with sufficient accuracy to project maintenance due dates dynamically.
AHTS vessels hold specific class notations for anchor handling and towing that require periodic performance verification, including bollard pull tests and equipment inspections. These notations are commercially critical: an AHTS that cannot demonstrate its anchor handling class notation is ineligible for anchor handling contracts. A maintenance system that tracks anchor handling notation requirements alongside the standard class survey cycle ensures that notation-specific obligations are not lost in the broader survey programme.
STAR Suite™ provides AHTS vessel operators with a maintenance system that accommodates the equipment complexity of anchor handling vessels — from main propulsion and winch systems to DP and deck equipment — with running hours tracking, class notation management and spare parts management in a single integrated platform.
Offshore CMMS software — the CMMS category covering all offshore support vessel types including AHTS.
PSV maintenance management software — maintenance management for platform supply vessels, contrasted with AHTS-specific requirements.
OSV fleet management software — fleet management for mixed OSV fleets including AHTS and PSV vessels.