Shipping Technology has recently introduced the ST Sailing Pro system, which acts as a new development of the ST Sailing propulsion control system. This system not only takes over the steering of the vessel but can also perform propulsion control. In this system, the captain inputs the destination and the desired arrival time, and the system continuously calculates the route and the necessary engine power to reach that time. These calculations include changes in locks, currents, and water levels.
Fuel Consumption Reduction and Advances in Automation
According to available information, using the ST Sailing Pro system can reduce fuel consumption by 10%, which adds to the previously confirmed 5% for the ST Sailing system. This system operates at level 2 of the CCR automation scale, and the captain oversees operations at all stages.
Shipping Technology has been collecting data from vessels since 2018 and has launched the ST Brain PRO system. Currently, this system is active on over 400 vessels. The ST Sailing system is also implemented on about 200 vessels and has recorded over 315,000 hours of navigation and 4.4 million kilometers. This data has significantly accelerated the development of the next stage, which is effective active propulsion control.
Tests and Results Obtained
In the past six months, tests have been conducted using a river cruise ship equipped with a propulsion engine and included automatic maneuvers. The tests were then transferred to commercial vessels with traditional equipment, including main engines, reverse gearboxes, propeller shafts, and radar. These vessels constitute the major part of the domestic fleet. After six months of testing on a vessel under smart navigation licensing, tests are now being conducted on several vessels in the dry cargo, tanker, and passenger markets.
Remco Picard, co-founder of Shipping Technology, explains that the captain manually releases the vessel and moves out of the port. He then activates the ST Sailing Pro system and inputs the destination and arrival time. The system automatically determines the achievable time and adjusts the route and engine power to reach that time. This method is designed to mimic the performance of a real captain.
The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has confirmed a 5% reduction in fuel consumption for the ST Sailing system in validated field tests. Interestingly, the 10% reduction resulting from propulsion control is primarily determined early in the journey and at the selected speed immediately after departure.
Remco also states that we spent eight years building the data infrastructure for our automated navigation roadmap, and every hour the vessel is moving gives us more information about the vessel's behavior. This has accelerated this stage compared to previous stages. For existing customers, implementing this system is a small step, and we are seeing that for new customers, this development is a moment when they decide to automate.
