The enhanced tugboats are expected to begin operation at the
giant industrial seaport in the fourth quarter of 2023. Though not strictly
autonomous, they will be equipped with an advanced situational awareness system
that can detect small objects in restricted visibility and provide decision
support to the crew. The technology is not necessarily limited to port
operations, and it could also be applied and extended to other vessel classes.
As an example of the capabilities of the firm's
decision-support technology, a freighter equipped with its automation system
regularly drives itself up and down the narrow Cuyahoga River in Cleveland,
Ohio. The developers say that the 630-foot twin-screw vessel is capable of
berthing, backing down, turning around, and navigating the tight confines of
the river on its own, keeping to its trackline with a position tolerance of
about six feet - all without azimuthing drives.
“Considering the Port of Tianjin is one of the top ten
busiest ports in the world, as well as its strategic importance in China’s
shipping [landscape], this is an excellent pilot case which opens many other
opportunities for collaborations in the region,” said Sean Fernback, Wärtsilä
Voyage President.
As part of the partnership, Wärtsilä Voyage will conduct
user research to improve work performance and safety. The company will also
work hand-in-hand with CCS in developing first-of-a-kind intelligent vessels
standards and guidelines for domestic vessels. CCS has already published
"intelligent-ship" rules for ocean-going vessels, but with more than
120,000 inland vessels in service in China, there is a need for creating
similar guidelines for the inland segment.
“This project complements our larger vision of safer and
more sustainable port operations, as well as gives us the opportunity to
explore further collaborations to enhance our smart port services in the
future,” said Yang Jiemin, Tianjin Port Group Vice President.
The Port of Tianjin, the largest port in Northern China and
the main maritime gateway to Beijing, ranks as the seventh-largest port in
China in terms of total cargo throughput and the sixth in terms of container
throughput. According to the port’s interim results for the six months ended June,
total cargo throughput stood at 222 million tons, an increase of 11 percent
over the same period last year while total container throughput volume was up
20 percent to 10 million TEUs. The port posted a 38 percent increase in
revenues to $1.1 billion.
Tianjin is also the world’s first port to get approval for
an autonomous driving demonstration zone, and it has a fleet of 25 unmanned
electric trucks.