Case Study: MV Roger Blough achieves step-change in operational efficiency with Honeywell HC900

Iron Ore Freighter Roger Blough Achieves Efficiency Step Change with Honeywell

The MV Roger Blough, a 22,000‑ton iron ore freighter operated by Key Lakes Shipping, struggled with operational strain as engineers had to constantly leave the control room to investigate alarms from disparate systems, making monitoring time‑consuming and reactive. To reduce manpower demands and maintenance costs, the vessel turned to Honeywell for a centralized monitoring solution, selecting the Honeywell HC900 process and safety controller.

Honeywell, deployed through channel partner J&W Instruments, installed the HC900 to unify engine, temperature, pressure, flow, ballast and generator monitoring on an intuitive touchscreen, giving engineers a true bird’s‑eye view and enabling proactive control. The Honeywell HC900 increased automation and productivity, eliminated much of the up/down deck running, and—Key Lakes Shipping reports—helped avoid millions of dollars in potential engine downtime and shipment losses while delivering strong ROI and extending the ship’s service life.