Interconnected intelligence supports an autonomous future

An automated maritime industry is an irony; it relies on human intelligence to develop a complex series of interconnected technologies for its creation, but these will ultimately reduce the need for human intervention from a wide range of marine operations that have traditionally depended on crew and operators.

In practice, the development of process-driven, intelligent systems has the ability to reduce or remove the impact of human error and raise safety and efficiency standards to levels that are unachievable otherwise.

A well-programmed and maintained machine can work almost endlessly without any loss of efficiency. Equipment lifetimes can also be prolonged as smoother operations reduce the strain on mechanical components, and power consumption demands will be lower in line with rising efficiencies.

Connectivity through collaboration

However, it is not one isolated development that will secure this safer, more efficient environment but many smaller advances that will be integrated together, with this process being critically dependent on internal and external stakeholder collaborations.

“The success of partial or fully autonomous operations will rely on greater connectivity between systems,” says Per Strandberg, Director R&D, Cargo Handling, MacGregor. “The important part will be to standardise connection protocols so that a system, comprising a number of components, can work effectively together.

“We have leveraged extensive technical expertise and decades of cargo handling knowledge to develop our new generation of intelligent solutions. MacGregor’s response has been accelerated through a centralised research and development system that enables equipment-related data to be shared, thereby providing an ability to fully capitalise on the knowledge gained through different development and operational projects.”

Intelligent crane undergoing trial

MacGregor’s pragmatic approach to the development of engineering solutions means that the progression of its autonomous portfolio is very much customer-driven.

ESL Shipping approached MacGregor to work collaboratively on developing the world’s first autonomous discharging bulk cranes. Initially, three such cranes have been installed on board one of ESL’s two new liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered bulk carriers, with an equivalent shipset fitted on the second vessel and ready for future use.

“The vessels are in operation in the Baltic and we are now waiting to test the autonomous discharging capabilities of the cranes; everything is installed and ready. We have tested different modules at our facilities, but we now need to ensure that they work on the vessel.

“This is very much a collaborative project, with ESL’s trust in our technology and capabilities earned over many years.

“We also know that other customers are interested. When we are able to demonstrate the system’s full capabilities, working in practice, then this will have a significant impact on the industry and inspire other operators,” notes Mr Strandberg.

First automated mooring system nearing completion

Also nearing completion is the two-year trial of MacGregor’s first automated mooring system, which has been developed in close collaboration with Kongsberg Maritime. The system will be fitted on the fully-electric, 120 TEU open hatch container feeder vessel, Yara Birkeland, which will eventually perform autonomous shuttle operations for its Norwegian owner, Yara International.

MacGregor will deliver the autonomous mooring system towards the end of this year, with the vessel scheduled for delivery in 2020. “The containership will gradually move to autonomous operation by 2022 and, during these two years, Yara will test its automated capabilities,” says Jon Høvik, Head of Mooring and Loading Technology, Offshore Solutions Division, MacGregor.

“The two-year test period is an integral part of the project and we will all learn from it,” he explains. “The autonomous mooring system uses some of the competencies from our commercial vessel mooring systems and constant tensioning technology, but it is distinctly new and employs advanced robotics and sensors. It is an enabling technology, providing one piece of the puzzle that helps an operator get to a point where they can run smaller vessels port-to-port without the need for crew on board.”

When in service, Yara Birkeland will replace 40,000 truck journeys a year. “If you think about this on a global scale, autonomous vessels such as Yara Birkeland could be used to remove trucks from dense, heavily-populated areas, significantly reducing environmental impact.

“By delivering this system and proving that it works we will demonstrate our ability to build in autonomy and robotic solutions for advanced operations, and show that even small operations can benefit from significant safety and efficiency gains, before then applying the technology to different manually completed operations,” Mr Høvik highlights.

Transformational customer innovations

MacGregor’s autonomous technology collaborations extend beyond these two examples. Tommi Keskilohko, Director of Customer Solutions, MacGregor says: “Our target is to lead the development, application and implementation of transformational customer innovations.”

MacGregor is part of the One Sea project, a high-profile ecosystem with a primary aim to pioneer the development of autonomous commercial maritime cargo traffic by 2025. “Through many different collaboration projects with key stakeholders and enhancing the processes by which we are able to collaborate, we aim to accelerate the adoption of intelligent systems and autonomous operations,” explains Mr Keskilohko. “These, alongside optimised cargo and load handling operations, will improve the efficiency, safety and sustainability of shipping.

“Our extensive experience and knowledge of through-life containership efficiency allows us to widen and accelerate developments that will enable the autonomous operation of cargo systems on board.”

For MacGregor, this includes the development of a practical digital agenda, designed to help customers enhance their operations through increased vessel earnings, operating more efficiently and reducing emissions per unit of cargo carried.

“We have identified value that we can create by applying or deploying specific digital technologies,” he continues. “Examples include MacGregor’s proven Cargo Boost upgrade, which has benefitted more than 100 containerships in service, and our new Breakbulk Optimiser tool that provides data transparency and enables fact-based decision-making.

“Breakbulk cargo is notoriously inefficient to load and transport, but through our insights we can make the stowage and planning process faster and easier, whilst increasing vessel utilisation rates and the performance of our customers’ businesses,” highlights Mr Keskilohko.

New roles in the maritime industry

The industry’s drive for greater digitalisation and the increasing adoption of automated maritime operations, leaves a question about what roles will be left for humans in the system.

“Roles will change,” says Mr Strandberg. “If done correctly, automation will deliver increases in safety by removing human errors, but it will not automatically be like that. Without a crew on board to fix a problem, an autonomous vessel either needs to be extremely robust or offer greater levels of redundancy than traditional vessels. Today, the crew play a key role in effective redundancy capabilities, a factor that should not be underestimated when considering their potential reduction or absence from a vessel.

“Who will assume responsibility for a remotely-operated ship?” he asks. “Technical aspects are one challenge, but legislation is an even bigger one. One thing is certain; responsive, expert service teams will need to be available to provide support, together with advanced remote monitoring systems, so that the integrity of the autonomous vessel is continuously supervised.

“Being able to monitor your system remotely and build-in this quality of redundancy will be a prerequisite for delivering components to an autonomous ship. Everything needs to communicate, and in many cases, be self-repairing.

“MacGregor is technologically ready to start testing some of our autonomous systems and, through the application of our cargo handling knowledge and experience, is taking part in the discussions that will define the standards, rules and regulations required to fully implement autonomous maritime processes. This is, in part, why we are keen to start testing the capabilities of our autonomously discharging cranes, because only then will we have an even better idea about the hurdles that need to be overcome and can assist in establishing default technical safety standards for the industry,” concludes Mr Strandberg.