1. What a PMS is for
A Planned Maintenance System (PMS) gives a ship a structured way to plan, carry out and record maintenance on board. It replaces scattered lists and memory with one schedule that both the ship and the office can see.
Key features
- Standardised maintenance procedures for each piece of equipment
- A register of equipment and components
- Maintenance intervals based on calendar time, running hours or both
- A history of the maintenance carried out
Benefits
- Supports compliance with class and regulatory requirements, including the ISM Code
- Improves the safety and reliability of vessel operations
- Helps with budgeting and spare parts planning
Equipment hierarchy
Equipment is organised in levels, so that every task belongs to a specific item and can be reported at any level:
- Ship → System → Equipment → Component
- Each component can have several maintenance tasks
- Many fleets organise the hierarchy to a ship coding standard such as the SFI Group System
Example
| Level | Example |
|---|---|
| Ship | MV ABCD |
| System | Main propulsion |
| Equipment | Main engine |
| Component | Fuel injection pump |
Maintenance tasks
Types of task
- Preventive maintenance: done at a set interval of time or use, before failure
- Corrective maintenance: done after a fault has occurred
- Condition-based maintenance: done when inspections or measurements, such as oil analysis or vibration readings, show it is needed
Typical intervals
- Weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly
- Every set number of running hours, as specified by the equipment maker
What a task contains
- Task reference and title
- Procedure description
- Tools and spare parts required
- Safety precautions
- Checklist or acceptance criteria
Spare parts and inventory
The PMS links maintenance to the parts it needs, so required spares are on board when a task falls due:
- each component can have its spare parts linked to it;
- minimum stock levels can trigger reordering;
- parts consumed are recorded against the task.
This reduces downtime, supports cost-effective stock control and connects maintenance with purchasing.
Reporting and records
Core reports
- Maintenance due and overdue list
- Task completion history
- Running hours log
- Spare parts consumption
Records for audits and surveys
- Completed tasks with date and the person responsible
- Remarks and deviation notes
- Supporting evidence such as photos, certificates and log sheets
These records support class surveys, audits and inspections by showing that maintenance follows a documented system.
Working on your vessel PMS? Norsetech Group creates, migrates and manages planned maintenance systems for shipowners and ship managers. Read more about our Planned Maintenance System services.