"> Power Management System (PMS) - Equipment Database

Power Management System (PMS)

medium 76 models total

A power management system decides, faster than a duty engineer can react, when to start a standby generator, when to shed load, and in what order to trip non-essential consumers before a blackout its logic, not the generators themselves, is what keeps the switchboard alive through a sudden load step.

Read more — Power Management System (PMS) explained

What a power management system actually does

A PMS sits above the individual generator control units and the switchboard, watching total electrical load, bus frequency and available generating capacity, and making the decisions a duty engineer would otherwise have to make by eye: start the next standby generator before load exceeds running capacity, synchronise and close it onto the bus, and shed pre-selected non-essential load if generation capacity drops faster than a new set can come online. This distinguishes it from a simple generator auto-start relay, which only reacts to one signal such as low frequency, without the layered logic of load-dependent start, priority-based load shedding and blackout recovery sequencing a full PMS provides. On vessels running unmanned machinery spaces, the PMS is what makes multi-generator operation with minimal watchkeeping possible at all.

Power management system control scheme
Block diagram of three diesel generators feeding the main switchboard busbar through breakers, with the power management system monitoring the bus, starting a standby generator and shedding non-essential loads before a blackout.

Main components

Load-dependent start and stop logic

Continuously compares total bus load against the capacity of running generators, factoring in a configurable spinning reserve margin, and issues a start command to the next available standby set with enough lead time to synchronise before the margin is used up.

Load-sharing control

Once two or more generators run in parallel, the PMS, or the individual governor and AVR controllers under its direction, divides real and reactive load between them proportionally, keeping each set within its rated output rather than letting one carry a disproportionate share.

Blackout prevention and load shedding

A pre-configured priority table ranks consumers from essential (steering gear, navigation, fire pumps) down to non-essential (accommodation air conditioning, workshop supplies). If load suddenly exceeds available capacity, a generator trip, for example, the PMS sheds load from the bottom of that table in a fixed sequence, fast enough to prevent a frequency collapse and total blackout.

Preferential trip and blackout recovery

Defines which breakers open first if a fault forces an emergency shutdown, and automates the sequence for restoring power afterward: starting the emergency generator, re-energising the bus, and reconnecting consumers in a controlled order rather than all at once.

Selection and sizing

  • Number of generators and their individual capacity, since load-sharing accuracy and shedding granularity both depend on how many sets and how many load steps are available.
  • Integration depth with the alarm and monitoring system a PMS that only talks to the switchboard cannot factor in, for instance, a bow thruster about to be engaged.
  • Redundancy of the PMS controller itself; a single point of failure in the control system defeats the purpose of load-shedding logic built to prevent a blackout.
  • Manual override capability, so an engineer can force a generator online or block a shed sequence during maintenance or drills.

Regulations and class

Class notations for unmanned machinery space operation require automatic standby generator start and documented blackout recovery capability as a condition of reduced manning in the engine room. IACS requirements for electrical installations expect load shedding to protect essential services defined under SOLAS Chapter II-1, and periodic survey includes a functional test of automatic start, load-dependent start/stop and load shedding sequences, not just a visual inspection of the switchboard.

Typical faults

FaultCauseConsequence
Standby generator fails to start on demandAuto-start logic disabled after manual testing, not re-enabledNo standby capacity when load rises, risk of blackout
Load sharing unbalanced between generatorsGovernor droop settings not matched after an engine overhaulOne generator overloaded while another runs light
Load shedding trips essential consumersPriority table misconfigured after equipment changesSteering or navigation load dropped instead of accommodation load
Nuisance generator startsLoad sensor drift or noisy signal from current transformersUnnecessary running hours, fuel and maintenance cost

What to look for in a supplier

  • A documented, editable priority table for load shedding that the crew can actually verify against the vessel's real consumer list.
  • Compatibility with the existing generator governors and AVRs, or a clear retrofit path if they need replacing together.
  • Local backup control at the switchboard that keeps generators running if the PMS controller itself fails.
  • A commissioning test report showing an actual blackout recovery drill, not just a paper configuration.

Re-verify the load shedding priority table any time a new large consumer is added a bow thruster or reefer container bank wired in without updating the table can end up shed ahead of something that should never lose power.

4 manufacturers · 76 models

Deif Marine

30
PPM-3 100pt unverified
I/O Points
100
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
PPM-3 200pt unverified
I/O Points
200
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
PPM-3 500pt unverified
I/O Points
500
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
PPM-3 1000pt unverified
I/O Points
1000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
PPM-3 2000pt unverified
I/O Points
2000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
PPM-3 3000pt unverified
I/O Points
3000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif PPM-300 50pt unverified
I/O Points
50
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif PPM-300 100pt unverified
I/O Points
100
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif PPM-300 200pt unverified
I/O Points
200
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif PPM-300 500pt unverified
I/O Points
500
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif PPM-300 1000pt unverified
I/O Points
1000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif PPM-300 2000pt unverified
I/O Points
2000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif AGC-400 50pt unverified
I/O Points
50
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif AGC-400 100pt unverified
I/O Points
100
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif AGC-400 200pt unverified
I/O Points
200
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif AGC-400 500pt unverified
I/O Points
500
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif AGC-400 1000pt unverified
I/O Points
1000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif AGC-400 2000pt unverified
I/O Points
2000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif ASR-150 50pt unverified
I/O Points
50
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif ASR-150 100pt unverified
I/O Points
100
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif ASR-150 200pt unverified
I/O Points
200
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif ASR-150 500pt unverified
I/O Points
500
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif ASR-150 1000pt unverified
I/O Points
1000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif ASR-150 2000pt unverified
I/O Points
2000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif GPU-100 50pt unverified
I/O Points
50
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif GPU-100 100pt unverified
I/O Points
100
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif GPU-100 200pt unverified
I/O Points
200
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif GPU-100 500pt unverified
I/O Points
500
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif GPU-100 1000pt unverified
I/O Points
1000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
Deif GPU-100 2000pt unverified
I/O Points
2000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR

SELCO Marine

26
M3000 100pt unverified
I/O Points
100
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
M3000 200pt unverified
I/O Points
200
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
M3000 500pt unverified
I/O Points
500
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
M3000 1000pt unverified
I/O Points
1000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
M3000 2000pt unverified
I/O Points
2000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
M3000 3000pt unverified
I/O Points
3000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO M3000 100pt unverified
I/O Points
100
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO M3000 200pt unverified
I/O Points
200
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO M3000 500pt unverified
I/O Points
500
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO M3000 1000pt unverified
I/O Points
1000
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO M3000 2000pt unverified
I/O Points
2000
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO M3200 100pt unverified
I/O Points
100
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO M3200 200pt unverified
I/O Points
200
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO M3200 500pt unverified
I/O Points
500
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO M3200 1000pt unverified
I/O Points
1000
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO M3200 2000pt unverified
I/O Points
2000
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO M3500 100pt unverified
I/O Points
100
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO M3500 200pt unverified
I/O Points
200
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO M3500 500pt unverified
I/O Points
500
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO M3500 1000pt unverified
I/O Points
1000
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO M3500 2000pt unverified
I/O Points
2000
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO C6200 100pt unverified
I/O Points
100
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO C6200 200pt unverified
I/O Points
200
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO C6200 500pt unverified
I/O Points
500
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO C6200 1000pt unverified
I/O Points
1000
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR
SELCO C6200 2000pt unverified
I/O Points
2000
Protocol
Modbus
Class Approval
DNV/LR

Siemens Marine

14
SIPLINK 500pt PMS unverified
I/O Points
500
Protocol
Profibus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR/BV
SIPLINK 1000pt PMS unverified
I/O Points
1000
Protocol
Profibus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR/BV
SIPLINK 2000pt PMS unverified
I/O Points
2000
Protocol
Profibus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR/BV
SIPLINK 4000pt PMS unverified
I/O Points
4000
Protocol
Profibus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR/BV
SIPLINK 6000pt PMS unverified
I/O Points
6000
Protocol
Profibus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR/BV
SIPLINK 8000pt PMS unverified
I/O Points
8000
Protocol
Profibus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR/BV
SIPLINK 10000pt PMS unverified
I/O Points
10000
Protocol
Profibus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR/BV
SISHIP IMAC 500pt PMS unverified
I/O Points
500
Protocol
Profibus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR/BV
SISHIP IMAC 1000pt PMS unverified
I/O Points
1000
Protocol
Profibus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR/BV
SISHIP IMAC 2000pt PMS unverified
I/O Points
2000
Protocol
Profibus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR/BV
SISHIP IMAC 4000pt PMS unverified
I/O Points
4000
Protocol
Profibus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR/BV
SISHIP IMAC 6000pt PMS unverified
I/O Points
6000
Protocol
Profibus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR/BV
SISHIP IMAC 8000pt PMS unverified
I/O Points
8000
Protocol
Profibus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR/BV
SISHIP IMAC 10000pt PMS unverified
I/O Points
10000
Protocol
Profibus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR/BV

ComAp Marine

6
InteliSys Marine 100pt unverified
I/O Points
100
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
InteliSys Marine 200pt unverified
I/O Points
200
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
InteliSys Marine 500pt unverified
I/O Points
500
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
InteliSys Marine 1000pt unverified
I/O Points
1000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
InteliSys Marine 2000pt unverified
I/O Points
2000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR
InteliSys Marine 3000pt unverified
I/O Points
3000
Protocol
Modbus/Ethernet
Class Approval
DNV/LR