The internationally recognised maritime non-profit Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) and engineering firm Neptunus Power signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch the world's first marine engine condition-monitoring technologies—developed in India—for marine diesel engines and propulsion systems.
This historic MoU, signed at the India Maritime Week 2025, follows a series of firsts at the five-day event in Mumbai, which saw over 600 MoUs, worth over Rs 12 lakh crore, signed.
The new partnership sees the IRS giving a Type Approval Certification for two of Neptunus' offerings—VIB 360, which is the engine condition-monitoring system, and Torque Sense SHAPOLI, a torque monitoring device.
"This marks the world’s first instance of a classification society approving a fully indigenous engine health monitoring solution, validating India’s capability to engineer world-class maritime technologies," Neptunus said in a LinkedIn statement.
The statement added that the VIB 360 system enabled operators to shift from time-based to condition-based maintenance (CBM) and monitor engine health in real time.
This would translate to benefits like 20-30 per cent lower maintenance costs and better vessel efficiency, in line with sustainable goals, Neptunus claimed. The MoU also aims to establish new CBM standards and an improved framework in the process.
"This MoU with the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) reinforces our belief that Indian engineering can shape the global maritime future," said Uday Purohit, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Neptunus Power Plant Services, as per an Economic Times report.
According to Akshay Purohit, Director and COO of Neptunus, the agreement was also an important step in making CBM a mainstream practice in India’s maritime sector.
