Let us show you our way
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Vessel Performance Monitoring is the continuous collection, analysis and interpretation of operational data to measure how efficiently a vessel performs over time. By monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs), shipowners and operators can identify inefficiencies, detect performance degradation and make data-driven decisions to improve vessel efficiency.
A modern vessel performance monitoring system collects data from onboard equipment, navigation systems, sensors and operational reports and combines it into a unified view of vessel performance. Rather than relying solely on periodic reports or manual calculations, operators can analyse performance continuously and compare actual results with expected performance under similar operating conditions.
Performance monitoring typically includes fuel consumption, speed, propulsion and engine performance, weather influence, hull and propeller condition, emissions and voyage efficiency. Together, these metrics help operators understand not only whether performance is changing, but why.
Many organisations combine Vessel Performance Monitoring with Maritime EAM Software to understand how asset condition and maintenance history influence operational performance throughout the vessel's lifecycle.
Vessel performance directly affects fuel consumption, operating costs, emissions and commercial efficiency.
Small changes in hull condition, propulsion efficiency, engine performance or operating practices can increase fuel consumption significantly over time. Performance monitoring helps operators identify these changes earlier and determine whether declining efficiency is caused by vessel condition, machinery performance, environmental factors or operational decisions.
Instead of reacting after fuel consumption increases or performance deteriorates, technical teams can identify deviations from expected performance and investigate the underlying cause.
This is increasingly important as shipping companies face pressure to improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions and demonstrate measurable environmental performance.
A vessel performance monitoring system collects operational data from multiple onboard and external sources and transforms it into comparable performance information.
Typical sources include:
Modern systems may combine high-frequency sensor data with manually reported information, depending on vessel instrumentation and data availability. Sertica, for example, describes systems that collect navigation, automation and sensor information while still accommodating manual crew input.
The collected data is then validated, processed and compared with historical performance, expected performance or defined baselines. This is important because higher fuel consumption alone does not necessarily indicate deteriorating vessel performance — weather, loading condition, speed and other external factors can influence the result.
By comparing like-for-like operating conditions, operators can distinguish normal variation from genuine performance degradation.
A typical process is:
Collect data → Validate and normalise → Compare against baseline → Detect deviations → Analyse the cause → Take action → Measure the result
Dashboards, trends, alerts and benchmarking then give onboard and shore-based teams a shared view of performance.
The exact data depends on vessel type and instrumentation, but vessel performance monitoring commonly combines operational, technical and environmental information.
Fuel consumption is one of the most important vessel performance indicators.
Operators may monitor total fuel use, consumption per nautical mile, fuel consumption at different speeds and loads, and Specific Fuel Oil Consumption (SFOC).
Combining fuel measurements with power and operational data provides much more insight than fuel totals alone because operators can determine whether changes are associated with engine efficiency, vessel resistance or operating conditions.
Performance monitoring evaluates the relationship between vessel speed, power demand, fuel consumption, weather and voyage conditions.
Comparing Speed Through Water (STW) with Speed Over Ground (SOG), for example, helps operators understand how currents and environmental conditions affect actual vessel performance.
Long-term speed-power and fuel-consumption trends can also reveal gradual efficiency losses that may otherwise be difficult to identify.
Monitoring engine and propulsion data helps technical teams understand how efficiently power is being generated and converted into vessel movement.
Relevant measurements can include engine load, RPM, shaft power, torque, SFOC and other machinery parameters.
Unexpected deviations can indicate declining engine efficiency or developing technical issues. When connected with a Planned Maintenance System, these insights can help technical teams investigate whether deteriorating performance is associated with equipment condition or maintenance requirements.
Hull fouling and propeller degradation increase resistance and therefore the amount of power required to maintain vessel speed.
By analysing performance against historical or modelled baselines, operators can identify gradual deterioration and evaluate whether hull cleaning, propeller maintenance or other interventions could restore efficiency.
This is a significant component of modern performance platforms: both Wärtsilä and Sertica explicitly use vessel data to identify hull and propeller degradation and deviations from expected propulsion performance.
Fuel consumption and vessel efficiency are directly connected to emissions.
Performance data can therefore support the measurement and management of CO₂ emissions, carbon intensity and energy efficiency while helping operators evaluate how operational decisions affect environmental performance.
One of the most important functions of vessel performance monitoring is distinguishing actual performance deterioration from normal changes in operating conditions.
A vessel sailing against strong currents or in adverse weather will naturally consume more power than the same vessel operating in calm conditions. Comparing the two voyages without accounting for those factors can produce misleading conclusions.
Performance monitoring systems therefore use historical data, reference curves, vessel models or comparable operating conditions to establish performance baselines.
Actual performance can then be compared against the expected baseline to identify meaningful deviations.
This allows operators to answer more useful questions:
Baseline comparison and fleet benchmarking turn raw operational data into information that technical teams can act on. This approach is also reflected in leading performance systems, which use reference models, historical trends and sister-vessel comparisons to identify degradation and validate improvements.
Traditional noon reports remain an important source of maritime operational data, but they provide periodic snapshots rather than continuous measurements.
A modern vessel performance monitoring system can combine noon reports with higher-frequency sensor and machinery data, creating a more detailed view of how performance changes throughout a voyage.
This makes it easier to detect short-term deviations, identify gradual degradation and investigate relationships between fuel consumption, propulsion, weather and vessel condition.
The two approaches are therefore not mutually exclusive. Noon reports provide structured operational reporting, while continuous monitoring adds greater frequency and technical detail. Modern platforms can use both sources together.
Vessel Performance Monitoring relies on KPIs that help operators evaluate efficiency, reliability and environmental performance over time.
Common KPIs include:
The greatest value comes from analysing relationships between these indicators rather than treating each KPI independently.
For example, combining fuel consumption with shaft power, vessel speed and operating conditions can help distinguish an engine-efficiency problem from increased hull resistance or propeller degradation.
Environmental regulations have made accurate performance information increasingly important to modern vessel operations.
Frameworks such as the IMO Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII), the Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and emissions reporting requirements create a need for reliable information about fuel consumption, efficiency and environmental performance.
Performance monitoring helps operators understand how operational decisions influence these metrics and identify opportunities to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
When combined with Maritime Compliance Software, performance information can support structured environmental reporting and provide a more consistent data foundation for compliance activities.
The objective of Vessel Performance Monitoring is not simply to collect more vessel data. Its value comes from converting operational information into measurable improvements.
Key benefits include:
Continuous monitoring also makes it possible to verify whether corrective actions actually work. Operators can compare performance before and after maintenance, hull cleaning, propeller work or operational changes and quantify the resulting improvement.
Vessel Performance Monitoring is used by both onboard personnel and shore-based teams responsible for technical and operational efficiency.
Typical users include:
Crews may use performance information to improve day-to-day vessel operation, while shore teams use longer-term trends and fleet benchmarking to identify deterioration, compare vessels and prioritise improvement initiatives.
STAR Suite™ combines operational, technical and maintenance information to provide a connected view of vessel performance throughout the asset lifecycle.
Rather than treating performance monitoring as an isolated reporting function, STAR Suite connects performance information with maintenance activities, technical assets and operational data. This helps organisations investigate why performance changes occur, rather than simply identifying that performance has changed.
Integration with Planned Maintenance System enables technical teams to correlate performance deviations with maintenance history and equipment condition, while connections to Maritime EAM Software provide broader visibility into asset condition and lifecycle performance.
When performance information is combined with Fleet Management Software, organisations can compare vessels, identify recurring performance patterns and prioritise improvement initiatives across the fleet.
This connected approach turns vessel performance information into practical technical and operational insight, helping operators improve efficiency, strengthen reliability and make better decisions across both individual vessels and the wider fleet.