How Does Power Quality Management Work in an Electric Ship?

23 Jun.,2025

 

How Does Power Quality Management Work in an Electric Ship?

One may wonder: Why is power quality management in electric ship so important? The simple answer is that an electric ship, like many modern electrical equipment, is complex. Therefore, power quality in an electric ship is also intricate.

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Electric power quality relates to how the power supply complies with frequency, voltage and the popular sinusoidal waveform standards. There must be a way of having a firm grip on the power quality in the vessel.

So, in case you are worried about what power quality is, we will review this term and explain how power quality management works in an electric ship.   

 Power Quality and the Electric Ship

There are many reasons why an electric ship needs proper power quality management. One of them is that every electrical equipment on the ship has a specific voltage level.

In case of poor quality, power lapses outside the allowable voltage range may occur. This subjects the equipment to serious risk of malfunction and failure. Some of these may require expensive repairs or even replacements. Such activities can also take a lot of time and affect business performance and profitability.

This is not to say there is no electric ship out there that is devoid of power quality challenges. The question is what can you do to manage these challenges for the sake of safety and, by extension, maximize the success rate of your company. 

Steps for Power Quality Management in Electric Ship

Conventionally, power quality in ships has been managed through harmonic correction, power factor correction, Transient Voltage Surge Suppression (TVSS), and mechanical load shifting.

However, newer power quality management techniques have emerged over time.  For instance, ships can now use software-based interventions to synchronize power in real-time.

An electric ship requires modern power quality management. The ship is different from the conventional ship in that it comes with a shaft motor in place of a generator set.

Managing electrical power quality not only starts at the design and building stage of the electric ship, but it is also a daily routine of the crew as they utilize the vessel. Power management requires experience and knowledge from those handling the vessel.

According to ISO directives, power quality measurement, analysis and improvement should be an on-going process if we aim to achieve the desired results.

First, the electric ship has to be subjected to a robust measurement & monitoring system. There is a popular saying that you cannot manage what you have not measured. This adage applies to power quality management in an electric ship.

Several variables come into focus including voltage swells, load interaction, wiring, and harmonics. Alongside the variables, the measurement should also take into account the relevance of continuous and temporal measurements.

Consider the following requirements for the monitoring system:

  • Strategically located power-quality equipment
  • Capable of measuring current and voltage
  • Measures continuous disturbance
  • Evaluates power quality compliance
Before they set out to sea, marine engineers typically agree on a power quality management plan that outlines the number of motors and related components, maintenance to be done, and other aspects. They also discuss what to do in case of an unexpected failure of any component that may affect the quality of power. It is essential to have a power quality management plan in every voyage to minimize delays, accidents, and other challenges

What Management Solution are You Using? 

Considering the rise in the number of electric ships, it is easy to appreciate the growing importance of power quality management in electric ship. Various PMS solutions are now available, but it pays to be clear about the kind of solution suitable for your electric ship.

In light of risks such as overheating and voltage collapse, it is fundamental that whichever tool you select for power quality management, you always remain in control of the planning, maintenance, and operation of the electric marine vessel.

In that regard, there are important benefits and features to look for in a power quality management solution for an electric ship.

  • Online simulation
  • Intelligent system monitoring
  • Remote control
  • Intelligent load shedding 

The Best Power Quality Management Partner

Only a purpose-designed electric power quality management solution can make sense of all the data coming out of the electrical components in the ship. It has the requisite analytic tools needed for reliable power quality management.

GSERTEL offers comprehensive power quality management competence and solutions that ensure the digitization and security of your electric ship’s infrastructure. The connectivity power of our solutions is what you need to not only identify electrical risks but also enhance electrical safety and reliability sustainably to ensure your electric ship adheres to power quality standards such as the IEEE 519.  

The 4 Main Components of a Quality Management System (QMS)

If you want to ensure you are providing consistent products or services throughout your organization, you must implement an ironclad quality management system, or QMS. Quality control management ensures that what your company delivers, and the delivery processes it uses are cohesive and that every business phase of the organization focuses on the same goal.

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When broken down, quality control management can be segmented into four key components to be effective: quality planning, quality control, quality assurance, and quality improvement.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at these four crucial steps, as well as provide insight into how a QMS software can make the job easier.

Quality Control Planning 

The first step of quality management is planning. You need to take the time to identify your goals and what you want your baseline to be. You should determine what your quality standards are, the requirements necessary to meet these standards, and what procedures will be used to check that these criteria are being met. In this planning stage, you will want to consider:

  • What your stakeholder’s expectations and priorities are, if applicable
  • What your company’s definition of success is
  • What legal standards or requirements are in place that must be abided by
  • Who will handle each role in the quality management process (supervision, testing, etc.)
  • How often processes will be evaluated for improvement

Quality Control

Once you have a plan in place, quality control comes into play. This is the process of physically inspecting and testing what you laid out in the planning stage to make sure it is obtainable. You need to confirm that all the standards you have put into place are met, and you need to identify any mishaps or errors that need to be corrected. The sooner you can catch these errors, the better. As such, you should be paying attention to all aspects of the product, including both the materials used and the process of putting them together.

Once the inspection data has been collected, it should be displayed in a way that makes it easy to analyze. You can create histograms, run charts, or cause and effect displays, and then easily share them through your document management software to make sure everyone has access to them.

Quality Assurance 

While quality control involves inspecting the actual products or services in the field, quality assurance is reviewing the delivery process of services or the quality management manufacturing of goods. By inspecting your goods or services at the source, you can catch mistakes before they reach the customer. You can also fine tune your processes to prevent errors in the future. When reviewing your product or service during this stage of quality control management, you will want to follow these steps:

  • Confirm that everything is operating as it was agreed upon during the quality planning stage
  • Measure how effective your pre-determined processes are and confirm that all compliance needs are being met
  • Take note of any lessons learned
  • Identify areas where there is an opportunity for a smoother process

To be effective, quality assurance must be completed regularly through independent audits. For the best results, have the audit completed by a third-party that is not financially or emotionally invested in the outcome.

Quality Improvement 

Finally, after completing the quality control process, you need to thoroughly review your findings and come up with a way to improve your methods going forward. Quality control management is fruitless if you are not willing to make changes when they are necessary. The desire for continual improvement is the goal for every successful company. So, gather all your data, re-evaluate both the processes and the product—always keeping compliance in mind—and then begin the quality control management process again. With each cycle, you will end up with a better product, happier customers, and more profit in your pocket.

What are the Main Components of a Quality Management System?

There are 4 main components of every Quality Management System (QMS). They are:

  1. Quality Control Planning: Identifying your quality goals and standards, the requirements necessary to meet these standards, and what procedures will be used to check that these criteria are being met
  2. Quality Control: The process of physically inspecting and testing what you laid out in the planning stage to make sure it is obtainable
  3. Quality Assurance: Reviewing the delivery process of services or the quality management manufacturing of goods
  4. Quality Improvement: Thoroughly review your findings from the last 3 components and come up with a way to improve your methods going forward

A QMS like ENSUR helps you streamline this process; organizing, accessing, and controlling all of your important documents.

What are Quality Assurance Components?

Quality assurance is the process of reviewing the delivery process of services or the quality management manufacturing of goods. By inspecting your goods or services at the source, you can catch mistakes before they reach the customer. When reviewing your product or service during this stage of quality control management, you will want to follow these steps:

  • Confirm that everything is operating as it was agreed upon during the quality planning stage
  • Measure how effective your pre-determined processes are and confirm that all compliance needs are being met
  • Take note of any lessons learned
  • Identify areas where there is an opportunity for a smoother process

How ENSUR QMS Can Help

Total quality management is a complex task that must remain organized to be effective. Our ENSUR Quality Management System can streamline the process of organizing, accessing, and controlling your important quality documents. Whether you are selling a product or providing a service, our ENSUR software can help you with your quality control needs.

Check out our other resources on this topic:

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Power Quality Management Solutions.

  • The Ultimate Guide to Implementing Quality Management
  • Best Practices from an Expert on the Quality Audit Process
  • 6 Tips to Effectively Manage Your CAPA Workflow
  • Why Quality Is the Most Essential Part of the Manufacturing Process
To learn more about how our QMS software can benefit your quality control efforts, contact us now or Request A Demo.