ABS awards AIP to smart maritime autonomous vessel technology
ABS has awarded Approval in Principle (AIP) to technology in an autonomous tug project from ST Engineering, POSH and M1 Limited, according to the company's release.
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 POSH Harvest harbor tug was retrofitted with autonomous navigation and CDCA functions. These functions were remotely monitored from a shoreside control center located in the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s Maritime Innovation Lab via cellular networks.
The SMAV project was one of a series of industry-leading initiatives to inform the development of the recently published ABS Guide for Autonomous and Remote Control Functions, which introduced the AUTONOMOUS notation and another recognizing remote control functions. The Guide sets out a goal-based framework for the implementation of these technologies on vessels and offshore units.