DNV highlights three autonomous advances at SMM

Amid the hundreds of technology developments evident at SMM in Hamburg last week, DNV has highlighted three of its own. Ocean Infinity, Avikus, and Reach Subsea have been identified by the classification society as worthy of mention.

Ocean Infinity, which is developing remote ship operations that will enable shipboard crew numbers to reduce over time, was awarded a Statement of Compliance for its remotely supported vessel operations. The company now claims to be the first fleet to reach the required standard of technology and operation for large vessels, enabling the transfer of certain tasks from ship to shore.

Meanwhile, SMM provided the backdrop for the start of the test phase of HD Hyundai’s HiNAS, a decision support system developed by the company’s autonomous navigation subsidiary, Avikus. HiNAS supports navigators by enabling ships to avoid collisions while maintaining optimal routes and speeds. The testing process follows the issue of a design verification report for the HiNAS system by DNV in September 2023.

In a third project, DNV’s support of the Reach Remote, a 24m-long unmanned survey vessel, was noted. Packed full of Kongsberg technology, the vessel is designed to be operated remotely from day one. So far, it is controlled remotely from a mother ship, but Reach is intending to procure the necessary approvals for the vessel to operate completely autonomously in the future.

Commenting on the developments, Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, DNV Maritime CEO, said: "As the maritime industry becomes more technologically advanced, DNV is committed to collaborating with industry leaders to enhance the efficiency and safety of shipping. In the absence of a regulatory scheme for the industry, we are developing guidelines and class notations that have been designed to evolve with the rapid advancements in autonomous technologies."