Сегодня в новостной колонке прочитал , кому интересно... Внимание, много букв! 1) ROLLS-ROYCE MARINE TAKES INITIAL STEP TOWARDS AUTOMATION AMBITION | | | | Свиток: развернуть Crew required only for final berthing of battery-powered Norwegian ferry due to begin crossings next year Rolls-Royce Marine has taken the first in a four-step strategy to realising unmanned ships. The Fjord1 ferry project to operate a battery-powered, double-ended ferry for the crossing between Norway’s Anda and Lote using an automatic system is ready to go into service next year. The ship will be crewed, but only the final berthing operations will be handled by the ship’s master with all other operations being fully automatic. The automation is necessary because using battery power requires consistency of operation so energy consumption can be predicted. Rolls-Royce Marine director of engineering and technology Kevin Daffey believes that using automated systems on crewed ships will be an important first step in paving the way towards full automation. “Ferries are a good starting point,” he said. “Operating the vessel with people on board will help build up confidence.” Daffey hopes that the automated crossing system will be extended to an automated docking system by next year and for it to be expanded into inland waterway and coastal trades in stage two of the strategy. He says that the sensor and situational-awareness technology is already in place that will make the first unmanned coastal vessel ready by 2025. However, the problem of regulation hangs over progress into the ocean-going trades. While national exemptions for manning levels could be achieved in the ferry and coastal business, it is likely to prove problematic for the international trades by Rolls-Royce’s 2030 target date. The two regulatory hurdles that would have to be overcome include collision regulations (Colregs) and minimum manning levels. Colregs are already being programmed into Rolls-Royce Marine’s automated systems, Daffey says, along with the codification of various navigational scenarios. This might be enough to make the vessels compliant. Rolls-Royce Marine is also working with various flag states, such as Singapore, on automation, as well as classification societies, which should help win strong governmental support for automated systems at the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Daffey thinks that automated ships can contribute to the IMO’s goals to reduce carbon emissions and, as a result of the relevant changes in regulation, could be fast-tracked through. “It is one way the industry could address the decline in emissions and could be a big step toward decarbonisation,” he said. “The IMO’s greenhouse-gas reduction road map and our own autonomous-vessel road map are aligned. We estimate that with the removal of the wheelhouse and lifesaving apparatus, fuel efficiencies of around 20% can be achieved. That will remove millions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere.” | | | | |
2) NORWEGIAN COMPANY WORKING ON ‘GAME-CHANGING’ UNMANNED SHIP | | | | Свиток: развернуть Agricultural specialist Yara plans to launch world’s first fully electric vessel next year as alternative to truck journeys through urban areas Agricultural products specialist Yara International is developing an autonomous ship, which could be the prelude to the use of similar technologies in deepsea shipping. The Norwegian company, which operates in 60 countries, has revealed plans to build the world’s first all-electric ship, which will be able to conduct shortsea operations unmanned. The container feedership will carry 100 to 120 containers for voyages of up to 32 nautical miles and is expected to cost around NOK 100m ($11.5m). Although the initial investment will be higher than for a similar-sized conventional ship, Yara expects to reduce operating expenditure. Construction has still to be assigned to a shipyard. Yara transports about 100 containers of fertiliser by truck every day from its Porsgrunn plant in southern Norway to nearby shipping hubs in Larvik and Brevik. Kristin Nordal, the company’s head of external communications, explains the rationale behind the project. “Last year, we started looking into using maritime transport as an alternative to truck journeys through densely populated areas,” she told TradeWinds. “In dialogue with [Norwegian] maritime technology company Kongsberg, we soon agreed that together we had the opportunity to realise a game-changer within shortsea shipping.” The ship, to be named Yara Birkeland after company founder and scientist Kristian Birkeland, will initially operate as a manned vessel next year. Yara will test remote operation with crew onboard in 2019 and expects the ship to be capable of unmanned operation in 2020. “The real breakthrough here is the ‘sensor fusion’, combining advanced technologies with autonomy software, and moving it from a test environment to real-life commercial operation,” Nordal said. The vessel will be fully electric, with zero emissions. “Yara Birkeland will be fitted with batteries which will be charged with clean Norwegian hydro power during loading and unloading, and reduce 700 tonnes of CO2 [carbon dioxide] emissions every year,” she said. Besides moving transport from land to sea, Yara is developing the autonomous vessel to improve safety. “Our goal is that Yara Birkeland will be safer than a conventional vessel,” Nordal said. “Statistics show that most accidents are caused by human error. There will always be an officer in charge operating the vessel from a land-based control centre.” Although it is an agriculture specialist, supplying everything from fertilisers to animal feed additives to analytical services, Yara is no stranger to shipping. It controls a fleet of five LPG carriers, all built in 2015. Nordal does not dismiss the possibility of larger vessels adapting similar technologies in the future. “Digitalisation has definitely entered shipping. In the near future, we will see several vessels performing autonomous operations,” she said. “More ships will use advanced manoeuvring, auto-docking and auto-sailing, autonomous cargo handling and autonomous safety operations.” But she notes that the largest potential when it comes to sustainable operations is within shortsea shipping and inland waterways. | | | | |
3) CLASS EXPERTS SET SCENE FOR ERA OF NEW TECHNOLOGY | | | | Свиток: развернуть Executives give their view on which marine technologies under development today have a future A weird and wonderful mixture of marine technologies are under development from 3D printing to robotics and unmanned ships but shipping executives are often left wondering what they can realistically expect to be using in the decades ahead. As certification and testing organisations, classification societies have a grandstand seat to monitor the whole field of marine technology research and development. TradeWinds asked Italian classification society Rina’s marine chief commercial officer Paolo Moretti, ABS’ advanced technology and research vice-president Christina Wang and DNV GL’s maritime chief executive Knut Orbeck-Nilssen to pick the technologies they are backing to be a success in the future. Shipping is going soft – the data revolution The collection and utilisation of data is set to lead shipping’s technological revolution if the experts are to be believed. The next generation of shipowners will be talking about their vessels as “Data Centric Assets”, according to ABS’ Christina Wang. Ships will be built with sensors and transmission capability to collect and send data covering every facet of the ship that will ensure vessels are run to maximum operational efficiency. “The data centric asset provides metrics that allow optimised asset management through predictive data analysis as well as providing visible 'hot spots' for safety and operational efficiency,” she said. DNV GL’s Nilssen also sees data as a future driving force in shipping and suggests the development of data platforms will form a safe house where owners, class, suppliers and shipyards can pool and access ship data. He says the proviso is that the data platform must be secure, trustworthy and access controlled. “The development of such platforms is a necessary step in collecting data and making it ready for further value creation,” added Nilssen. Rina's Paolo Moretti believes the big data revolution will have power to revolutionise the way business is done and will give owners more confidence in decision-making. “Companies may go beyond competitive business models implementing behaviour prediction algorithms, operating faster control and diagnostics, comparing sistership performance, getting situational awareness, real-time condition monitoring and, in general, supporting a reliable decision making process,” he said. Ghost ships and emerging prospect of automation Automation in shipping is on its way but just how far it will go as far as unmanned ships is the question experts differ on. For DNV GL’s Nilssen, unmanned ships are out of the question in the next decade at least. He explains that for a start the regulatory hurdles are too high and equipment that requires less onboard maintenance has not been developed yet. What he does see is a gradual movement towards automation similar to the road travelled by the automobile industry. “From collision avoidance to route planning, to automated performance and condition monitoring and shore-based assistance, there is room for more system autonomy to develop and reduce 'human factor' incidents and improve operational efficiency,” he said. ABS’ Wang also sees a progressive move to unmanned ships through automation with the key benefits being improved safety and efficiency. She says what will be required first for full automation is the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning. “Artificial intelligence will also be a key process in autonomous vessel development, with the potential to increase safety through reduced risk exposure as well as improving safety and efficiency by reducing risk failures and equipment damage,” she said. For Rina’s Moretti, cyber security has become an even more critical factor with the emergence of automation and ships controlled from shore. He sees the development of procedures and technologies to identify risk, prevent threat and protect systems. He says it is a prerequisite for autonomous shipping. “With further advances in these enabling technologies we can imagine a totally autonomous ship that reports to shore,” he said. More fuel for thought — how ships will be powered Battery power will be a critical energy source for shipping in the future, according to Moretti, particularly in ports where battery power can replace diesel generators. It opens the door for hybrid solutions where generators recharge batteries to supplement the ship’s power. With battery capacity improving and prices falling, the potential is increasing. “With prices expected to fall by 50% per KWh by 2020, we could see larger vessels exploiting the opportunities offered by this technology,” he said. The next stage development could be hydrogen and fuel cells in combination with batteries, which Moretti believes has the potential to lead to carbon-free ships. There is plenty of variation in how fuel cells can be charged. “Other fuels will be used in fuel-cell power generating systems like LNG or methanol, provided the infrastructure is in place, while liquid bio fuels could gradually replace oil-based fuels. Renewable electricity could also be used to produce hydrogen, which in turn could be used to power fuel cells providing auxiliary or propulsion power,” Moretti predicted. DNV GL’s Nilssen is also keen on battery power. While heralding LNG as the main alternative fuel of the future — albeit progressing slower than predicted — he says batteries are “primed to really take off”. “They have already been adopted by the ferry sector but are relevant to many ship types such as tugs, offshore and specialised vessels and over the past year or so we have seen an increase in interest from the cruise sector,” he said. Stop the press — 3D printing is here Why transport spare parts to ports around the world when they can be built on location through additive manufacturing — better known as 3D printing? The current system of shipping parts to where the ship is trading is “high cost and time consuming”, says ABS' Wang. “Additive manufacturing and 3D printing will find favour in shipping, including the local printing of spares from materials including metal powder or wire, stainless, low alloy or hardened steel, corrosion resistant nickel and copper alloys, composites and plastics,” she said. DNV GL’s Nilssen describes 3D printing technology as a “wild card” that could revolutionise the shipping industry. That revolution will involve not only the manufacture of spare parts and machinery for ships but also more generally it will change where products are manufactured and transported and that will affect shipping demand. “If we follow some of the most optimistic predictions it could fundamentally alter the methods by which goods are manufactured, the global transport routes, change the types of bulk materials transported, even reduce the demand for shipping of goods,” he said. Creating a digital world DNV GL’s Nilssen sees a day when each ship will have a cloud-based digital double that will transport the ship into the digital world. That will allow any aspect to be viewed in a digital interface and be used as a virtual bench test to improve the system. It could be open to the vessel's stakeholders who can share input. “The digital twin offers several possibilities for evaluating performance and criticalities in near real time and suggesting corrective actions when coupled with operational data from equipment,” he said. Digital data can even be used to try to understand and predict human behaviour. Rina’s Moretti predicts digital tracking systems will be used to improve the safety of passengerships. “The real time location of passenger and crew offers evident advantages in case of an emergency, crisis management and even man-over-board detection. These systems will be based on rapidly evolving technologies enabled by data exchange between a distributed network and tags or communication equipment carried by each person onboard,” he said. Digitalisation will even help the work of a class surveyor, ABS’ Wang believes. Wearable mobile technologies will have augmented reality features to help surveyors do their job. “Employing this type of technology, class surveyors will easily be able to access the complete asset history and its current state while on site,” she said. Through such an augmented reality technology remote support could also be provided from shore, from visual or other data captured from the ships. “In operational applications, it would be possible for a designated remote expert to provide advice to the master on demand, seeing what they see and advising in real time,” she added. Robotics and remote technologies could also aid inspection, improving close up inspection and the accuracy of measurement. It could also take out the need for dirty and dangerous tank inspection or inspection at height. | | | | |
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