Credit: Wärtsilä
AUTONOMOUS WORKBOATS
AUTONOMY ON TRIAL
W
By Eric Haun
hen discussing the arrival of autonomous workboats, many – especially those developing the technologies that enable them – say it’s is not a matter of if, but when. In fact, autonomous harbor tugs are already being put to the test in Singapore, where authorities hope to establish the technological infrastructure to enable fully autonomous ship operations. In the U.S., an autonomous vessel was shown to be able to respond to marine oil spills. But is autonomy really the future? Several technology leaders in this space say yes, though they point out many important questions still need to be answered, especially surrounding insurance, legal and regulatory requirements. The International Maritime Organization (IMO), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and other regulatory authorities globally are working with classification societies and industry partners to develop clearly defined regulations that would apply to vessels operating at various stages of autonomy, but much still needs to be done. And then there’s the questions pertaining to the future role of mariners in the dawn of marine autonomy. Will autonomousenabled vessels put crews out of work? Not necessarily. Marine autonomy comes in many shapes and sizes, and autonomous does not necessarily mean unmanned. Autonomy can exist in different stages and degrees, from smart and automated to ful-
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ly independent. In each case, crew will maintain their vital role on board, but they’ll be supported by technologies that aim to help them do their jobs in a safer and more efficient manner.
CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS Domenic Carlucci, Director - Machinery, Propulsion, Electrical & Controls, Corporate Technology, at classification society the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), says workboats and other smaller vessels that often ply shorter, dedicated routes are most ripe for autonomous operations. In this sector, much of the technology being explored today aims to improve safety and crew assistance, with navigation being the primary function most are working on, he says. “Navigation is an area people are focusing on because the technologies have already been developed. Information and technology that has been developed in other industries like aircraft or automotive can be leveraged into the marine environment. At this point, it’s not so much technology development, it’s more technology application.” Carlucci adds it’s important to differentiate between autonomous functionality and manning levels. “Autonomous does not mean unmanned, and unmanned does not necessarily mean autonomous. Each vessel will have a concept of operaApril 2020
