ABB brings autonomous driving technology to the Port of Singapore

ABB has signed a landmark contract with Singapore shipyard Keppel Offshore & Marine to complete autonomous tugboat operations in 2020

ABB will work with Keppel Marine and Deepwater Technology (KMDTech), the skills arm of Keppel O&M, to jointly develop autonomous steering skills and retrofit a 32-metre port tug using leading digital solutions to complete autonomous vessel operations in Singapore by the end of 2020. After the completion of the project, the ship is expected to become the first autonomous tug in South Asia.

In the initial phase of the project, the vessel, operated by Keppel Smit Towage, a Keppel Smit Towage joint venture between Keppel Offshore and the maritime company, will complete a series of flight missions within a designated test area in Singapore Harbour, to be operated by an onshore control centre. The second phase of the intent will see the vessel perform its autonomous collision avoidance mission under long-distance supervision.

"This project is a key sign of our digitalization journey, as it demonstrates our capabilities as a leader in smart shipping skills and is a testament to our success at Electric. Digital. Connected. said Juha Koskela, Managing Director of ABB Marine & Ports. "The intent of our skills is not to remove the crew completely, but to free the crew from the mission, not to complete the automation, so that they can function optimally in critical operations."

With this project, ABB is taking the next step towards autonomous shipping, based on insights gained from a groundbreaking experiment with the remote-controlled passenger ferry Suomenlinna II in the Port of Helsinki in November 2018. With more than 130,000 ships calling each year, the Port of Singapore has an exponentially intensive shipping pattern that will add another layer of complexity to the experiment.

These experiments are designed to validate advances in the safety and efficiency of tugboat operations using digital solutions available on virtually all types of vessels today. Integral to the experiment will be the ABB Ability™ Marine Pilot portfolio of solutions, which completes the "sense-resolve-plan-act" cycle required for any form of autonomy. ABB Ability™ Marine Pilot Vision will provide sensor fusion from existing and new systems to generate digital situational awareness, while ABB Ability™ Marine Pilot Control will carry out the necessary command commands.

Tug operations, often in congested ports, where tugboats are pushed or towed to maneuver other vessels, can be demanding. In addition, sometimes the tugboat has to travel long distances to reach the destination location. Autonomous delivery under long-distance supervision will allow the ship's crew to rest and be vigilant when they are needed in the actual work of the tugboat.

KMDTech will work with the Singapore Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) and the Singapore Marine and Marine Skills Centre (TCOMS) to develop skills and become a system integrator for autonomous solutions. The United States Bureau of Shipping (ABS) will provide in-principle approval for new features such as long-haul navigation and autonomous control systems.

ABB brings autonomous driving technology to the Port of Singapore

ABB brings autonomous driving technology to the Port of Singapore

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