UK-based power systems provider Rolls-Royce and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd have joined strengths in a partnership to design, test and validate the first generation of remote and autonomous ships to make such vessels a commercial reality.
Rolls-Royce said that working with VTT will allow the company to assess the performance of remote and autonomous designs through the use of both traditional model tank tests and digital simulation, allowing it to develop functional, safe and reliable prototypes.
“Remotely operated ships are a key development project for Rolls-Royce Marine, and VTT is a reliable and innovative partner for the development of a smart ship concept. This collaboration is a natural continuation of the earlier User Experience for Complex systems (UXUS) project, where we developed totally new bridge and remote control systems for shipping,” Karno Tenovuo, Rolls-Royce, Vice President Ship Intelligence, said.
Rolls-Royce said that it is pioneering the development of remote controlled and autonomous ships and believes a remote controlled ship will be in commercial use by the end of the decade.