Future-proofing yachts: Insights on AV/IT innovations and best practices from Bond TM
Written for Superyachttimes.com by Francesca Webster
Mon, Sep 16, 2024 | 11:15
Bond Technology Management has provided new-build, survey, and refit consultancy services since 2006 and has brought many innovations to the yachting industry. Their sister company Bond Support Services has also been providing expert IT, AV and Satcoms operational support, training, and refit services. More recently, their support group has also added Air Quality and HVAC consultancy to its services. We recently sat down with Zeb Robin, Technical Director at Bond TM, to find out more about the developments in the AV/IT sector, Bond’s unique approach to consultancy in the yachting technology sector and to get his expert insight into future developments.
Technology is developing all the time. How do you future-proof an AV/IT system?
Bond Technology Management has a fundamentally different perspective than an integrator, as our position working directly for yacht owners means we can drive the specification to ensure systems are future proof. Integrators must bid on specifications, we write them.
On a more specific level, we’re always looking 10 and 15 years ahead to make sure the systems we design are future proof, with many completed vessels being the living historical proof that we have been doing it right. Our job often means helping customers to avoid being penny wise and pound foolish when it comes to infrastructure planning. Additionally, we are encouraging yacht owners to simplify and streamline their systems so that long-term maintenance and operational costs are reduced. Starlink was the lynchpin we were waiting for to fundamentally re-invent the onboard AV/IT systems we tailor to owner needs.
AV/IT systems are complex and costly. What is your advice for project managers or owners’ reps tasked with choosing an integrator and speccing a system?
We respectfully challenge the assumption that AV/IT systems must be complex and costly. There is a clear trend towards simplification which we at bond are leaning into, and it is possible today to simultaneously shrink systems and future proof them.
Returning to the question, one should first make sure a good team is creating the system specification packages. If you are considering bringing expert consultants onto your team like Bond TM, then scratch the surface to ensure their merit and avoid cronyism. It takes time to build a good specification, and cutting corners at early stages can be costly in the end.
Next, there has been a downsizing trend in the last decade which has allowed us to return space back to the interior, but it relies on good communications with the owner in terms they can relate to. If you ask an integrator or anyone really who doesn’t know the client, you will get over-spec’d systems containing everything plus the kitchen sink. However the systems we’ve been working with our customers to specify are smaller, cooler and more capable than those of the past, because customers today are rejecting a lot of the complexity which in the past was under-utilised or never used at all.
Armed with a solid specification, one can then of course go to tender. If done right, you will get good apples to apples offers, and you can select your suppliers based on price and compliance to specification.
Some superyachts now have a full-time ETO (Electro Technical Officer) on board. Generally speaking, is there sufficient training for crew to run and maintain the AV/IT systems properly?
A well trained and knowledgeable crew will always make the guest experience onboard better, zero doubt. For over a decade, Bond has offered a variety of technical and cyber training courses to help crew enhance the skill set they bring onboard.
Furthermore, our push to simplify and streamline the AV/IT systems means that these systems simply cause fewer headaches for the crew to begin with. The interesting caveat however is IT system administration. Switches and Wi-Fi over the next decades will always be required, as will the need for IT specialists who are experts in keeping the network secure and performance.
Our Support Services group has been delivering expert technical assistance to crew for over 15 years, exactly to reinforce the crew and ensure they have access to all skills necessary to keep their yacht running smoothly.
In an increasingly connected environment, how important is it to have a cybersecurity management plan when designing an onboard IT system?
A Cyber Security Management Plan is a vital operational matter that crew must attend to; it is not a tangible thing one can design into a system or pay cash up front for. If experts have designed the IT system to adequate standards using sound best practices while not cutting important corners, then it will be possible to operate it safely and securely. However a system packed with the most exotic security technologies in the world will amount to nothing if it gets hacked due to being operated and maintained incorrectly, or because the crew was not trained adequately to understand and avoid cyber threats.
If the worst does come to pass and there is a cyber incident onboard, the crew need to have a good plan they can follow to ensure they immediately do the right things to mitigate harm and/or loss, while quickly bringing the vessel back to a secure state. This is what good cyber policies and plans can do.
Bond serves the Cyber needs of yachts at every level. Our build management group ensures systems are designed and delivered to robust standards. Our service and support group maintains those systems at a secure state and helps crew to craft world class cyber policies that are well tailored to their needs. Lastly, our training team routinely conducts Cyber Awareness courses for entire crews to help everyone level up their operational security. Daily vigilance is needed in the face of the threats out there, and a well-prepared crew is the first and best line of defense.
Fast connectivity at sea can be elusive. Are 5G, Starlink and other low earth orbit satellites taking over from traditional VSAT technology?
This is not elusive any more since virtually every yacht on the sea has already installed Starlink. This constellation of satellites has fundamentally changed everything. Since 2014 when Greg Wyler and Elon Musk first started planning a Low Earth Orbit constellation called WorldVu, and when O3B went online, we have been preparing our customers to be ready for low and medium earth orbit systems. We are therefore proud to have had SpaceX as a guest on our stand at the Monaco Yacht Show when they first launched their marine service.
It’s not nice to hear for legacy providers, but the fact is that conventional VSAT is now only a backup service, and one that will be in decline for the next decade. On the new-build side, we are now working on the first generation of yachts that will not have any large satellite radomes, resulting in a stunningly sleek exterior.
Some in the industry made mistakes over the last decades, recommending unripe technologies that were obsolete before they were even installed. However, we at Bond steered our clients to avoid this error and can today assure anyone reading this that those days are over.Internet at sea is now abundant and more affordable than ever, and as more services come online to complete with Starlink in the next years, it will only become more so.
AV/IT upgrades are commonly requested during refit or maintenance periods when time is limited. What do crew and shipyards need to be aware of?
Firstly, if the vessel has good infrastructure (quality ship run cabling, well built and cooled technical racks, etc..) then absolute refit costs will be much lower over time. It costs a bit more upfront to build good infrastructure, but it pays off in savings *forever*, while increasing the longevity and reliability of all systems.
Therefore, if the vessel’s infrastructure is poor, with intermittent faults and outages, overheating equipment, etc.., it may be a wise long term investment to improve said infrastructure. It might not provide any new flashy capabilities for guests, but it can pave the way for more robust and affordable systems in the long run.
Next, to get the best prices and ensure a smooth refit period, start developing your scope of work early and be realistic. Instead of trying to do everything at once, we have seen a trend with several customers whereby they prefer to develop an evolutionary upgrade strategy for their vessel with us. By breaking the upgrades into discrete chunks of work, it can result in lower costs and higher quality outcomes which don’t require the vessel to be out of service for any one long block of time.
Lastly, logistical aspects such as hardware lead times, labor logistics and access to refit shipyards should not be underestimated. When these things go wrong they can cripple a refit, so they are best considered well in advance.
Get in touch with Bond
If you’d like to discuss AV/IT innovations, training, or support on your yacht, reach out to the Bond TM team:
- Website: www.bondtm.com
- Email: info@bondtm.com
- Phone: +357 25 24 89 35