06-05-2025

ABS and Akselos complete technical assessment for structural digital twin technology

ABS, a global leader in providing classification services for marine and offshore assets, with Akselos S.A., a global leader in structural performance management software; announced today a deepening of its cooperation with the joint completion of technical assessment for structural digital twin technology. This marks a significant advancement in the application of digital twin technology for Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units, enabling more accurate and reliable assessments of structural integrity.

The announcement comes at a critical time for the offshore energy industry. FPSOs are some of the most complex and capital-intensive assets in operation, often required to perform far beyond their original design life. With increasing pressure to improve safety, extend asset life, and reduce costs, operators need better tools to understand and manage structural health in real time.

This data-driven approach can significantly improve operational cashflow by reducing inspection and maintenance costs by up to 33%, minimizing both planned and unplanned downtime, and enhancing safety by limiting human exposure in hazardous operational areas. This ultimately unlocks hundreds of millions of dollars in value through extended FPSO life and avoided production losses.

FPSO vessels are substantial capital assets operating in harsh offshore environments and handling highly volatile substances. Proactive protection of their structural integrity is crucial for maximizing production and ensuring a strong return on investment. Yet, traditional assessment methods, often time-consuming and reliant on simplified models, lack the predictive capabilities needed to optimize operational efficiency and avoid costly downtime and underperformance.

Akselos’ SPM software provides a high-fidelity, near real-time digital twin of the entire FPSO. By combining inspection records, metocean conditions, and cargo operations into one dynamic model, operators gain a live, continuous view of structural performance. This allows for real-time monitoring, identification of stress concentrations, and on-demand fatigue analysis to support data-driven maintenance and risk-based inspections.

When supported by ABS’ Condition Manager and Eagle Twin inspection data management and condition tracking software tools, the combined suite is capable of monitoring real time load and condition information within a digital twin framework that enables full life cycle support of an offshore asset.

The great technical work builds on a long-standing collaboration between Akselos and ABS, including joint digital twin deployments in Brazil’s Cessão Onerosa oil field. Akselos’ SPM software also integrates with ABS’s Eagle Unified™ suite, providing operators with a unified platform for asset performance management and class compliance.

“This collaboration reinforces the role of high-fidelity digital twin technology in the future of offshore structural integrity management,” said Matt Tremblay, Senior Vice President, Global Offshore at ABS. “By combining real-time operational data with advanced simulation, Akselos is enabling a more predictive and performance-based approach to asset management, fully aligned with the industry’s drive toward safer, more efficient operations.”

“This joint work confirms the robustness of our software and reinforces the growing momentum for digital transformation in offshore oil and gas,” said Claus Reimers, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Akselos. “We enable operators to simulate the structural integrity of the entire FPSO in real time and at full fidelity, supporting smarter, safer decisions across the asset lifecycle.”