The harbour tug Maju 510, developed by Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M), has obtained Autonomous and Remote-Control Navigation Notation from the classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).
Maju 510 has also secured the Smart (Autonomous) Notation from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).
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The 32m-long tug completed sea trials that demonstrated autonomous collision avoidance capabilities at Raffles Reserved Anchorage, off Singapore Island, in March.
Its initial remote operation trials were concluded last April at the Port of Singapore.
Keppel O&M is serving as the project lead for the autonomous solutions on the Maju 510, which is owned and operated by Rimorchiatori Mediterranei member Keppel Smit Towage.
The current trials demonstrated automated situational awareness, collision avoidance and manoeuvring control offered by ABB Ability Marine Pilot Vision and Marine Pilot Control, stated ABB.
The tug has showcased its capability to autonomously avoid collisions in different situations, including when two other vessels approach simultaneously on colliding paths and when a nearby vessel behaves carelessly.
The ABB Ability Marine Pilot product portfolio is said to improve safety and efficiency in tug operations by enabling the crew to focus on the entire situation instead of certain manoeuvres.
Furthermore, the systems can be upgraded to facilitate higher levels of autonomy based on local regulations and the vessel’s needs.
ABB marine and ports division president Juha Koskela said: “Our autonomous solutions are designed to support the crew in performing their duties as safely and efficiently as possible.
“The same technology can be applied to a variety of vessel types including wind turbine installation vessels, cruise ships and ferries.”
In April, Van Oord took delivery of a dual-fuel trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) from Keppel O&M.
