Tech firm Kongsberg Maritime has received approval in principle from the classification society DNV Green Lights. The approval to transfer a key role from a ship to a shore-based control center. The move will enable the chief engineer to be located in a remote operations center (ROC). Duties performed remotely can take place from a desk-based workstation instead of on board a vessel.
From the workstation, the chief engineer can monitor and control systems on three vessels. The systems include the power management system, ballast water system, and deck machinery.
They are the world’s first fully electric container vessel, Yara Birkeland. Along with a pair of electric barges operated by Norwegian grocery retailer ASKO, named Marit and Therese.
Later this year, DNV and the Norwegian Maritime Authority are expected to grant full approval for what’s known as ‘Chief-to-Shore’ functionality, once they have overseen a testing period.
DNV Green Lights Approves Kongsberg Shore Control Trial
Pål André Eriksen a senior vice president at Kongsberg Maritime. He stated, “A set of increments define the journey towards autonomous and uncrewed operation of vessels. To get there, we must take each step in turn and prove the functionality. Also the value before moving to the next. The role of the chief engineer is one that already involves a lot of monitoring of automation and control systems. For this trial, move this functionality to the shore-based ROC. It means that one person now managing a range of systems across three vessels, rather than one.”
DNV’s head of digital ship systems, Jarle Coll Blomhoff, stated, “Remote machinery support is a natural first step towards autonomy, as many engineering functions onboard a vessel are already automated.”
This summer, the shore-based technician will conduct testing and manage several tasks on three vessels, all remotely from shore. From the ROC, an aggregated view of the three vessels will be visible at all times. If an issue arises, the system will switch to high attention mode and focus operator attention where needed.
