Despite the offshore support vessel (OSV) market historically facing supply and demand issues, amidst the need for greater sustainability and growth in renewables, it has entered a rare phase of calm. It’s critical to take advantage of this industry cycle phase to pursue efficiencies in OSV operations.
ARNAUD DIANOUX, Opsealog
The digital solutions now available to OSV operators can offer powerful, data-driven insights to drive up vessel and fleet performance, but the right operating model and culture can further supercharge these gains. At the heart of operational enhancement—through digital insights into vessel performance—lies the "efficiency loop": a continuous feedback mechanism that leverages data to drive iterative improvements, Fig. 1. By systematically collecting, analyzing and acting upon operational data, OSV operators can identify inefficiencies, optimize performance and reduce cost, logistical risk and emissions. This model fosters a culture of continuous improvement, enabling operators to adapt swiftly to changing conditions, without necessitating significant capital investments.
Rather than relying on new hardware or fleet expansion, the efficiency loop helps extract more value from existing assets. This shift from capex-heavy strategies to operational excellence is crucial in a market that still bears the financial scars of previous downturns and remains focused on vessel life extension over newbuild orders, resulting from a general trend of caution around long-term investment.
CASE STUDY: BOURBON'S FLEET-WIDE OPTIMIZATION
A recent collaboration between Opsealog and a leading OSV shipowner, Bourbon, illustrates the tangible benefits of embracing the efficiency loop. A successful six-month pilot was conducted involving 25 OSVs, which achieved average monthly CO2 emissions reductions of 45–50 tons per vessel. Following this, Bourbon extended the implementation across its entire 104-vessel fleet. This initiative underscores the scalability of data-driven optimization and its impact on both environmental performance and operational costs.
By applying Opsealog's Marinsights platforms (Fig. 2.), Bourbon was able to capture high-resolution data on fuel consumption, vessel activity and maintenance, enabling more informed decisions, both onboard and at shore. In Bourbon’s case, this led to reducing emissions by 45-50 tonnes of CO2 per vessel each month.
ENHANCING DATA INTEGRATION AND REPORTING
Effective decision-making also hinges on the availability of accurate and timely data. To be effective, this requires data integration and reporting solutions that are as timely and seamless as possible. These A.I.-powered solutions will enable operators to transition from error-prone processes to automated systems that provide timely insights into vessel performance, fuel consumption and maintenance needs, Fig. 3. The result is improved transparency, compliance and responsiveness. Moreover, digital reporting simplifies compliance with international environmental and operational standards, streamlining audits and ensuring readiness in the face of tightening regulations.
TURNING DATA INTO EMISSIONS RESULTS
In partnership with Azule Energy, a major independent energy company operating in Angola, Opsealog embarked on a project to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across a fleet of 33 OSVs operating in the region. By implementing digital reporting and performance analytics, the initiative aims to achieve up to a 10% reduction in emissions and fuel cost. This collaboration offers another example of digital solutions’ role in supporting environmental objectives and regulatory compliance—particularly vital elements, as scrutiny intensifies across the supply chain. Projects like these demonstrate how charterers and vessel owners can collaborate to achieve joint efficiency and sustainability goals through shared data platforms.
Opsealog is also working with Tullow, an independent oil and gas company based in London, to support the digitalization of its marine operations in Ghana. Over the past year, the deployment performance monitoring tools on Tullow’s offshore vessels have delivered measurable improvements in operational efficiency, emissions management and the accuracy of operational data. The collaboration has since been extended, building on the results achieved during the first phase, and providing a solid foundation for continuous improvement.
THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF TECHNICAL AVAILABILITY
In a high-utilization environment, the technical availability of an OSV fleet has become a core pillar of commercial performance. Every hour of downtime carries a significant opportunity cost, particularly when charter rates are high, and vessel demand is outstripping supply. By using digital solutions to predict and prevent failures, operators can ensure their assets remain in service more reliably and for longer.
By leveraging timely data and historical trends, digital tools can support preventive maintenance strategies that ensure operators prioritize interventions, based on operational needs, rather than fixed calendar schedules. This reduces off-hire time, improves safety, and enhances the lifespan of critical equipment.
FROM PILOTS TO SCALABLE ECOSYSTEMS
Many OSV operators have experimented with isolated digital solutions or pilot projects in recent years. However, these efforts often faltered when it came time to scale, due in part to a lack of internal alignment or the complexity of integrating multiple solutions.
The industry is now shifting from fragmented experimentation to holistic ecosystems. This involves aligning tools, stakeholders and workflows into a coherent digital strategy that spans onboard systems, shore-side operations and third-party partners. The goal is to create an uninterrupted “digital thread” that supports smarter decisions at every level. It is now essential that all ecosystem stakeholders collaborate and share data, to maximize efficiency and deliver greater value to end customers.
BUILDING A CULTURE OF DATA-DRIVEN DECISION-MAKING
Successfully embedding efficiency also requires cultural change. Organizations must develop internal capabilities to interpret and act on data, which involves upskilling personnel, standardizing data reporting practices and establishing performance KPIs linked to digital outputs, Fig. 4.
Leadership buy-in is also critical; when decision-makers at the top champion digital initiatives and demand data-backed reporting, they set the tone for the entire organization. This cultural shift toward accountability and insight-driven operations will become a true, competitive differentiator.
Despite the clear advantages, the adoption of digital solutions in the OSV sector faces challenges, including resistance to change, budgetary concerns and hesitancy around data sharing. Many operators are still reliant on multiple spreadsheets, manual processes or legacy systems that cannot integrate with newer technologies.
Addressing these issues requires a concerted effort to demonstrate ROI, provide adequate training and design solutions that are intuitive and require minimal onboard integration. Importantly, industry collaboration around data standardization is key to ensuring platforms speak the same language and that data can be meaningfully shared across the value chain.
PREPARING FOR FUTURE MARKET DYNAMICS
The current period of relative OSV market stability should not breed complacency. Instead, it offers a strategic opportunity to build resilience and agility. By embedding efficiency through digitalization, operators can position themselves to respond effectively to future market fluctuations, regulatory changes and technological advancements.
Organizations that measure performance today will better understand where to invest tomorrow. Digital maturity is becoming a prerequisite for competitiveness—not just in the next upcycle but also in the next inevitable downturn. Those who act now will be best positioned to navigate what comes next.
CONCLUSION
The OSV sector stands at a crossroads where strategic investments in digitalization and data-driven efficiency can yield significant dividends. By embracing the efficiency loop, fostering stronger collaboration across the ecosystem and embedding a culture of continuous improvement, operators can enhance performance, lower marine logistics risks and costs, reduce environmental impact and position themselves competitively for the future. In the next market cycle, efficiency won’t just be an edge—it will be the entry ticket. The time to embed that capability is now. WO
ARNAUD DIANOUX, Opsealog’s Founder and Managing Director, has over ten years of experience in the marine offshore sector, including serving as a Merchant Marine captain in various regions, and he is deeply committed to operational efficiency and sustainability. After pursuing an MBA and focusing on maritime innovation, Mr. Dianoux founded Opsealog to deliver “Efficiency as a Service.” His expertise in data-driven solutions has enabled Opsealog to help shipowners and charterers optimize performance, reduce costs and enhance sustainability across global fleets.