Gazpromneft Snabzheniye and Sitronics KT tested system for remote control of ships
The system installed on a tugboat has been tested in real settings on river Tom
Gazpromneft Snabzheniye, a subsidiary of Gazprom Neft, and Sitronics KT, Russian company developing comprehensive digital solutions for ships and shore-based systems, have summarized the results of tests on remote operation of river-going ships held in autumn, says Gazpromneft Snabzheniye.
The system installed on a tugboat has been tested in real settings on river Tom. The solution is aimed at optimization of operational costs and enhancement of IWW cargo transportation safety.
Sitronics KT, the developer of autonomous navigation systems for sea-going ships has adjusted the algorithms to the specifics of inland navigation. The equipment installed on a tugboat allowed for remote of the vessel.
In the future, that technology will be able to ensure independent operation of a river-going ship on a given course in an autonomous going past other vessels and avoiding dangerous objects. During the tests, the tug was controlled by an operator from land. The technology was tested for 15 days with the tug having covered about 80 kilometers under remote control. Navigation systems and cameras installed on the tugboat provided real-time information about the ship, allowing to monitor its movement and position on the map, as well as the status of the main engines and steering systems. The development involves the technologies of artificial intelligence, mathematical modeling and identification. Further tests are scheduled for the next navigational season in 2023. Gazpromneft-Snabzheniye and Sitronics KT plan to finalize the current system and transfer operation of river vessels to a fully autonomous mode.
Gazpromneft-Snabzheniye is an integrated operator of industrial procurement and logistics services.
Sitronics KT (a company of Sitronics Group) is a critical supplier of hydrographic equipment, navigation devices and specialized software. Sitronics KT is also involved in educational projects by delivering training simulators and multimedia complexes to educational institutions and museums.
Sitronics Group (part of Sistema Public Joint Stock Financial Corporation) is a Russian multidisciplinary IT company with extensive experience in the development of digital solutions and the implementation of large-scale projects for business and government.
The solution offered by Sitronics KT is applicable to both new and the existing ships. Autonomous navigation systems are installed for experimental purposes on four civil ships owned by Rosmorport, Pola Rise and Sovcomflot.
