RECOTUG pushes towage operations into the future

Kongsberg Maritime is leading the way in the automation of the maritime sector with a pioneering project to develop the world’s first remotely controlled tug.

The RECOTUG™ initiative, in collaboration with Svitzer, the global leader in towage operations, and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), will be piloted in the Port of Copenhagen, Denmark, by the end of 2022.

KONGSBERG’s expertise in remote-control systems, autonomous technology and system integration will complement Svitzer’s vast experience of towage operations, including its freshly developed remote tow line handling and automated mooring systems.

ABS will deliver the guidance and knowledge necessary to gain regulatory authorisation for this world-leading technology.

The RECOTUG™ endeavour expands on a remote control trial conducted by Kongsberg Maritime and Svitzer in Copenhagen in 2017, which proved the concept of a remotely operating tug from a shore-based control centre.

KONGSBERG’s technology has developed to such an extent that the project is a significant step change in capability and ambition compared to the original pilot.

Carl Johansson, KONGSBERG’s Manager for Control Applications, explains: “While the 2017 demonstrator project proved the concept, the technology we have at our disposal today means that RECOTUG™ is no longer a simple demonstrator project – its aim is to provide Svitzer with a commercially viable product that the company will be able to use in its operations worldwide.”

Thomas Bangslund, Group Head of Innovation at Svitzer, adds: “The original scope of the pilot was to assess if the remote control technology would allow us export situational awareness to an off-vessel location, and in a way that the captain was comfortable operating the vessel. This proved the case and now we are challenging ourselves to develop a tug that we can operate safely and efficiently from shore, down the line, potentially without a crew on board, so it’s a completely different ballgame.”

People skills remain essential

Despite the advanced technology being deployed in the RECOTUG™ project, at the heart of the system will be a human operator in the form of an experienced tug captain and supporting marine engineers. These skills and experience are essential as towage operations are extremely complex procedures, particularly as there are so many local variables such as wind, currents, other port traffic and the relative power of the tug to the connecting ship.

Carl says: “It is essential that, from a technical and safety standpoint, we take the remote control route rather than a fully autonomous system so we have a skilled captain guiding the operations from the safety of a shore-based centre.

“One of the key learnings from the 2017 pilot was the importance of the user experience, particularly regarding technical issues like potential video image delays and its effect on the control of the tug. We learned a lot about what response times were required to operate effectively by remote control and the adaptability of the captains surprised us too: we thought they might need a few weeks to get used to the video control room and the remote operation system but they picked it up within a day.”

Although the technology is being developed on one tug, the system will ultimately be flexible enough to be installed on all types of towage vessels to provide a universal system for Svitzer’s fleet of tugs across the world.

Another challenge for the RECOTUG™ is how a remote controlled vessel can meet current marine regulations and this is why ABS has come on board to assist the project in these, as yet, uncharted waters.

Thomas adds: “To start from scratch and rewrite the rules for a potentially unmanned tug would take too long and by the time this was agreed the technology would have moved on considerably, so we are basing our body of evidence and safety arguments from the RECOTUG™ trials around equivalence with existing rules. ABS has made some progress with this approach and we are hopeful that their guidance and expertise will show that we can operate remotely and safely within the existing regulations.”

“RECOTUG™ offers an opportunity to demonstrate the practical example of remote-control operations,” says Gareth Burton, Vice President, Technology, ABS.

“The application of autonomous and remote-control options to support marine operations is of increasing interest in the industry. Through projects such as RECOTUG™ we are able to ensure development of a rules and guidance framework that keeps pace with practical applications needed by the industry,” Gareth adds. 

Inclusive career prospects

Carl believes the future deployment of remotely operated tugs will also be beneficial for the maritime sector, which is currently failing to attract enough young people into the industry, and will help to make it more inclusive. Providing a shore-based ‘office’ environment using advanced technology will be more appealing to young people considering a career in the industry.

With the continued growth in maritime trade, with larger ships wanting to spend the minimum amount of time in port before setting off to their next destination, there is pressure on towage operators to match the needs of the industry, as Thomas explains: “Technology, global trade patterns and renewable energy demands are influencing our customer’s demand for towage and we need to be able to adapt to shifting needs.

“There's a general data drive from customers to know exactly what service they have been receiving, including sustainability issues around documenting emissions etc., so there's a big move towards digital-enabled assets in general. The technology we are developing with RECOTUG™ will enable that digital capability and help optimise our ability to ensure the timely and efficient entry and exit from ports to help shipping operators conserve fuel and save time.”