ABS has awarded approval in principle (AIP) to technology in an autonomous tug project by a partnership of Singaporean firms ST Engineering, POSH, and M1.
The Smart Maritime Autonomous Vessel (SMAV) project saw successful sea trials carried out in 2020 and has now received ABS AIP for its autonomous navigation and collision detection and collision avoidance (CDCA) technology.
The harbour tug POSH Harvest was retrofitted with autonomous navigation and CDCA functions. These functions were remotely monitored from a shoreside control centre located in the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore's (MPA) Maritime Innovation Lab via cellular networks.
The SMAV project was one of a series of initiatives to inform the development of the recently published ABS Guide for Autonomous and Remote Control Functions, which introduced the AUTONOMOUS notation and another recognising remote control functions. The guide sets out a goal-based framework for the implementation of these technologies on vessels and offshore units.