Tug owners and port operators are adopting digitalisation for IoT, remote support and reducing emissions
Digitalisation will provide key tools to enable maritime logistics, ports and towage service providers to reduce emissions, giving the industry time to formulate longer-term strategies to cut greenhouse gas pollution and other emissions.
Associated British Ports (ABP) head of strategy and architecture Beatriz Moore said ports and vessel operators are “moving into the digitalisation world to improve connectivity and services in ports”. She said digitalisation in the port sector is helping operators to deliver “better services for customers and optimise port calls”.
“We are modernising internally to capture and use data effectively across 21 ports,” said Ms Moore during London International Shipping Week (LISW).
“We are investing in different solutions and are rolling out operating systems.”
ABP is moving away from using spreadsheets for data collation and processing, upgrading its IT and implementing digitalisation in a modular way with targeted investments. “We started trials and proofs of concept,” said Ms Moore.
5G connectivity was rolled out in Southampton port and internet of things (IoT) has been introduced in other ports “to get data and information to marine services”.
ABP’s investments encountered challenges, as not all stakeholders and marine services were ready to adopt digitalisation. “Some were not used to digital innovation or the pace of adoption,” said Ms Moore. “We need to prioritise and be mindful of the levels of adoption of technology in ports.”
Some benefits already seen from the investments include greater operations transparency, improved data exchange with ships and greater cargo transit stability through ports.
“We will be sharing much more data and getting faster and timely movement of cargo,” said Ms Moore. “We still do not have enough information about when we need pilots, tugs and onshore crew to get cargo off ships more effectively.”
There is too much congestion, with queuing lorries in ports and ships waiting to enter terminals to load or unload, all creating emissions while remaining idle.
“We need to deliver better services to reduce pollution and decarbonise ports,” said Ms Moore. “We would like to do more and be better prepared for new customers and start to generate data on cargo. But it can be costly to exchange data and many customers are still using spreadsheets.”
Another digitalisation benefit is the increased use of remote services to tug and vessel operators from flag states and classification societies, enabling crew to perform some tasks surveyors would usually carry out when on board.
During LISW, Lloyd’s Register director of marine and offshore Mark Darley said the society was working with Inmarsat to enable remote surveys. “The world has become more collaborative,” he said, “and connectivity is key to using data to drive decarbonisation.”
Inmarsat digital innovation partnership lead Clara Waehnich said reliable connectivity will enable more surveys.
“We are dedicating bandwidth and enabling sensor data collection,” she said. “Access to services for high bandwidths could become more cost-effective.”
Inmarsat is launching new satellites to expand its Global Xpress (GX) network and L-band maritime services. “There are some constraints on bandwidth, but we are working on this to provide better access,” Ms Waehnich said.
Inmarsat Maritime president Ronald Spithout said there would be seven new satellites in three years for GX. “Each one more powerful than the whole existing constellation,” he said.
Inmarsat outlined plans for its future investment with the Orchestra network of networks, combining GX with a 5G-based coverage and low earth orbit (LEO) satellites for high throughout and low latency.
“We will be trialling vessels as nodes of a mesh network and adding LEO satellites where they are needed,” said Mr Spithout.
Digitalisation and connectivity investment is enabling remote control and autonomous applications on tugs. Wärtsilä Voyage director of rapid innovation Clayton van Welter said both facilitated development of IntelliTug, a tug with a semi-autonomous, sense-controlled manoeuvring solution on board, with PSA Marine and Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority (MPA).
Digitalisation also helps with smart docking and contributes to “smart routeing and voyage planning, better situational awareness and maturing of autonomous and remote-control capabilities,” said Mr van Welter.
ABB Marine group product manager for bridge solutions Vegard Saeterlid agreed and added digitalisation was enabling collision avoidance solutions.
Marine Pilot vision uses data from sensors around vessels to provide “extra layers of information to crew to avoid hazards, make better navigation decisions and mitigate risk,” said Mr Saeterlid.
Technology helps in risk assessments, assisted planning and remote support for seafarers. The next steps are automated planning and “training computers to do different tasks and start remote working” he added. “Future vessels will be electric, digital and connected, with automation control systems.”
ABB, Keppel Offshore & Marine (O&M) and Keppel Smit Towage are testing remote control and autonomous operations on a harbour tug in Singapore. They successfully controlled tug Maju 510 remotely from MPA’s Maritime Innovation Lab in Q2 2021. In the second phase of this project, scheduled for Q4 2021, they will monitor the 2011-built, 32-m, Singapore-flag tug as it performs autonomous collision avoidance tasks while under remote supervision.
Remote monitoring and intervention
For now, connectivity is enabling IoT applications and remote assistance to crews. During LISW, StratumFive strategy director Mike Powell said the maritime industry was still at an early stage of digitalisation. “It is exciting times as we are still embarking on this digital journey in shipping,” he said.
“We are getting more data and monitoring points. Data provides insight for dialogue, action and interactions with ship machinery.”
Mr Powell said IoT adoption will benefit crews as it provides more information on board and reduces reporting workloads. “Some of this can be taken away by IoT and crew can concentrate on safety,” he said. “Dedicated channels can provide weather and navigation information, changing the crew’s working experience.”
In July, StratumFive joined KVH Industries’ community of digitalisation solution providers under its KVH Watch service.
KVH senior director of IoT business development Sven Brooks said this service provides dedicated bandwidth to equipment manufacturers, class societies and digital service providers. It also facilitates remote support to seafarers for onboard interventions and surveys.
“KVH Watch provides third-party access for IoT, surveyors and technical experts for remote monitoring, interventions, troubleshooting and inspections,” said Mr Brooks. Crew on vessels can use tablets, phones and wearable technology to provide information remotely to surveyors or technical experts located on shore. “There is a trend to do more work remotely for monitoring and compliance.”
CyberOwl chief executive Daniel Ng brought a message of caution for adopting digitalisation and IoT, as this could make operational technology (OT) susceptible to cyber threats. He urged vessel operators to ensure OT is separated from the IT and internet.
“Bridging networks should not be bridged and engine monitoring systems should be separated,” he said. “But when monitoring these systems, there is bridging.” He said owners should manage data transmissions better and segregate networks to reduce cyber risks.
Digital tools give maritime time to decarbonise
Consultancy Thetius chief executive Nick Chubb said the maritime industry has a window of opportunity to invest in digitalisation now and plan to implement alternative fuels and other infrastructure.
“Up to 2030, industry will use digital tools to improve tonne-mile efficiency and optimise operations, while waiting for new fuels to be introduced and infrastructure to be developed,” he said.
“Net-zero fuel infrastructure will be in place from 2040 and more ships will be running on alternative fuels… decarbonisation is the biggest challenge facing the industry,” he said.
The need for more remote operations due to the global coronavirus pandemic has driven the maritime industry to invest and adopt digitalisation more rapidly.
“Covid has massively increased use of digitalisation in maritime,” said Mr Chubb. “Spending is three years ahead of where we would have been.”
© 2023 Riviera Maritime Media Ltd.