Page 33: of Marine News Magazine (April 2020)

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AUTONOMOUS WORKBOATS “Right now, much of the autonomous development is there and autonomy simply aiding the crew on board.” – Domenic Carlucci, ABS

Credit: ABS resolution radar and Wärtsilä’s dynamic ogy company ABB is working with Kep- positioning (DP) system, to enable au- pel Offshore & Marine’s technology arm, tonomous capabilities. The vessel was Keppel Marine and Deepwater Technol- recently put to the test as part of the ogy (KMDTech), as well as MPA and

IntelliTug project co-funded by the TCOMS, to develop autonomous vessel

Maritime and Port Authority of Singa- technologies for retro?t onto a 32-meter pore’s (MPA) Maritime Innovation and harbor tug. ABS will provide the Ap-

Technology (MINT) Fund and involv- proval in Principle for the novel features ing classi?cation society Lloyd’s Register such as remote navigation control and and the Technology Center for Offshore autonomous control system.

and Marine Singapore (TCOMS). During the initial phase of the proj-

The 27-meter harbor tug PSA Polaris ect, the vessel, operated by Keppel has performed smart navigation and col- O&M’s joint-venture company Keppel lision avoidance functions in real-life Smit Towage, will complete a series of harbor trials, demonstrating its ability to navigational tasks while being steered steer clear of virtual and real-life moving from an onshore control center. Later, vessels. Again, humans were on board during the project’s second phase, the and ready to take full control. The vessel’s vessel will perform autonomous colli- smart navigation system allows the user sion avoidance tasks while under remote to easily see the routes plotted, with the supervision. Pieces of ABB’s Ability Ma- avoidance of collisions, in real-time, and rine Pilot portfolio will provide sensor sends track and speed commands to the fusion from existing and new systems to

DP system, which drives the vessel along generate digital situational awareness as the route safely at speeds up to 10 knots. well as execute commands.

And there’s another group targeting A third collaborative project in Sin- autonomous harbor tug operations in gapore, between ST Engineering and

Singapore by the end of 2020. Technol- PACC Offshore Services Holdings 33 www.marinelink.com MN