FernSAMS: Voith to present technology for remote-controlled tugboats at National Maritime Conference in Rostock

In the global shipping environment, every minute spared represents a considerable cost reduction.

In addition, with a remotely operated tug fleet, it is possible to reduce construction and operating costs. Because most of the boats will be operated by an intelligent remote control, these tugs therefore do not need common rooms or sanitary facilities for the crew. Noise insulation and even the bridge could also be eliminated. This reduces the weight of these floating powerhouses, which makes them even more maneuverable and reduces energy consumption. The concept also opens up new options for the design of the remote-controlled vessels; for example, there is no longer a need to make provision for a deck house to accommodate towing gear.

Greater safety for crew

The second objective of FernSAMS is to substantially improve crew safety. For example, until now, tow lines have been handed over manually, requiring the tug operating at the front of the ship to navigate directly in front of the bow of the moving freighter. Harbor pilots on the bridge of the vessels, which are often well in excess of 300 meters long and 45 meters wide, coordinate these maneuvers with the tugboat captains. During this process, the tow lines are subjected to immense forces, which can reach more than 100 metric tons during dynamic maneuvers. Thanks to remote-controlled tugs, for which FernSAMS supplies the key technology, all critical maneuvers and operations can be controlled from a safe distance. This minimizes the risk of accidents for employees.

FernSAMS does not envisage a completely autonomous operation.

For this to function properly in real time, there needs to be a fast and reliable data connection between all participants, even if there is the huge mass of a ship between tug and (remote) helmsman. “The 5G mobile communications standard is a potential transmission solution. Satellite communication is also a likely option to serve as a safety backup,” says Jürgens.

Voith is not just the leader of the project; the technology group also brings its extensive expertise in maritime propulsion concepts to bear in the development. For example, the Voith Schneider Propeller (VSP) developed by Voith decades ago is a system that has already successfully put its fast and accurate power transmission to the test in many applications worldwide. Another example is the water tractors developed by Voith that are among the safest assistance tugs ever built. With the new electric Voith Schneider Propeller (eVSP), Voith is also taking an important step towards the electrification of the drive train in marine applications and thus to a shipping environment that is even more sparing with resources.