Shipping Technology has launched ST Sailing Pro, an extension of its ST Sailing track pilot that adds automatic propulsion control to conventionally powered inland vessels, allowing the system to adjust course and engine power to meet a specified arrival time.
The captain enters a destination and desired arrival time, after which ST Sailing Pro continuously calculates the required course and engine power, taking factors including locks, currents, water levels and squat into account. The system operates at level 2 of the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCR) automation scale, with the captain supervising and able to take control at any time.
The company began collecting vessel data in 2018 using its ST Brain PRO onboard unit and added automatic rudder control five years ago. The technology now operates on more than 400 vessels, with ST Sailing running on around 200 vessels and having logged more than 315,000 sailing hours and 4.4 million kilometres.
Testing of the propulsion control system began with a thruster-driven river cruise vessel before moving to conventionally equipped commercial vessels using main engines, reverse-reduction gearboxes, propeller shafts and rudders. After six months of testing on a single vessel under a Smart Shipping permit, trials are now taking place across dry cargo, tanker and passenger vessels.
“The captain casts off and manoeuvres out manually. Note that we have already automated this for thruster-propelled vessels. Then, he or she engages ST Sailing Pro and enters a destination and arrival time,” said Remco Pikaart, Founding Partner, Shipping Technology.
“The system indicates whether that time is achievable and then adjusts course and engine power to meet it, sailing – and this is unique – in the way a skipper would. We’ve built that into the system. Water levels, squat and lock scheduling are part of the calculation, and the feasible arrival window can vary by up to three hours depending on conditions.”
“The captain validates what the system proposes, e.g. whether to overtake, hold back, or arrive earlier or later. Also, the captain can take over at any moment.”
Bosman Shipping Group is participating in testing of the automatic propulsion control system.
“The system accounted for the tide by itself and brought us in exactly on schedule, at the fuel consumption we were aiming for. Our captains keep the final say, which is the only way this works on a commercial vessel,” said Robert-Jan Brummelkamp, COO, Bosman Shipping Group.
