Efforts to develop autonomous and remote control of ships
are expanding, with a greater focus on highly congested ports and seaways as a
proving ground for the technology. Recently, technology company ABB working
with the Singapore shipyard of Keppel Offshore & Marine tested a remote
control tugboat in Singapore. According to the companies, as one of the busiest
seaports in the world, Singapore was one of the most challenging proving
grounds for the technology.
The test to remotely control the tugboat in the port was
carried out from a traffic control center in the Maritime and Port Authority's
Maritime Innovation Lab. The test, which the companies called the first remote
control with the joystick of a tugboat in Singapore, represented a validation
of the increased safety and efficiency of towing operations with the help of
digital solutions.
"We are proud to have reached another milestone that
marks a significant step towards autonomous shipping, in close collaboration
with Keppel," said Juha Koskela, Head of ABB Marine & Ports. “The
purpose of this technology is to facilitate the crew with tasks that can be
automated so that they can perform at peak times during critical periods and
improve the overall safety and productivity of the marine operations. The test
also confirms that this autonomous remote control technology can be applied to
other types of vessels. "
ABB's and Keppel O & M's technology solutions were
retrofitted to a 105-foot-long tug, the Maju 510. The vessel is owned and
operated by Keppel O & M's joint venture company, Keppel Smit Towage.
Equipped with the digital solution ABB Ability Marine Pilot Vision, the vessel
had sensors that generated a digital awareness of the situation while the system
performed the intelligent commands required for maneuvering and control.
The second phase of the project, which is planned for the
end of 2021, involves the ship performing autonomous evasive maneuvers to avoid
a collision under remote monitoring.
“Navigation with remote control is an important function for
autonomous ships because it acts as a protection mechanism and is particularly
practical in some complicated scenarios,” said Tan Leong Peng, CEO of New
Builds, Keppel O&M.
Towing, in which a tug maneuvers other vessels by towing or
pushing them, often in narrow ports, can be an extremely demanding task that
requires the full attention of the crew, the operators said explaining their
testing scenario. In addition, tugs often have to travel long and monotonous
transit distances to get to their workplace.
They highlighted the possible scenario in the future where
the transit route is performed autonomously and under remote monitoring, while
the crew on board can rest to be alert when it's time for the actual towing
work. Holding the position with remote assistance can also provide
opportunities for the crew on board to rest instead of performing routine tasks
that can be performed as efficiently or with a remote crew.
“Keppel Smit Towage is pleased to be able to support Keppel
O&M and ABB in the development of autonomous tugs. As a towing operator, we
use the technology to improve our business and better serve our customers. With
the tugboat Maju 510 as a test vessel, we can gain experience and provide
feedback on how autonomous operations can help the tugboat captain and crew by
simplifying navigation and thus be able to shift focus to the more important
tasks. This has the potential to significantly improve operational reliability
and efficiency,” said Romi Kaushal, CEO of Keppel Smit Towage.
The tugboat project in the port is being funded by the
shipping and port authorities in Singapore as part of Singapore's Maritime
R&D Roadmap 2030.