Gazpromneft-Supply and Sitronics KT tested the remote navigation system

2022: Testing of the remote navigation system on the basis of the platform for modeling of non-ship navigation

Gazpromneft-Supply and the Russian company Sitronics KT, which develops integrated digital systems for the fleet and coastal services, summed up the results of the tests of remote control of river vessels carried out in the fall of 2022. The system was integrated into a tugboat and underwent pilot operation in real-world conditions on the Tom River. This was announced on December 12, 2022 by Sitronics KT. The solution is aimed at optimizing operating costs and increasing the safety of cargo transportation.

Sitronics KT, a developer of autonomous navigation systems at sea, has finalized the technology algorithms taking into account the peculiarities of river navigation and installed equipment in tow. The decision made it possible to control the ship remotely.

In the future, the technology will be able to fully independently follow the river vessel in autonomous mode at a given course, divergence from other ships, evading objects that pose a danger. As part of the tests, the tug was controlled by an operator on land. Testing technology lasted 15 days, during which time the tugboat traveled about 80 kilometers with remote control. Navigation systems and, cameras installed in tow, provided real-time information information about the ship, allowing it to control its movement and position on the map, as well as the state of the main engines and steering machines.

The development is at the intersection of technology, artificial intelligence mathematical modeling, recognition and. identifications Further tests are planned for the next 2023 navigation season. "-Gazpromoil Support" and Sitronics KT plan to finalize the current system and put the control of river ships into a completely autonomous mode.

During the project, it was possible to turn a typical ship into a high-tech one. At the same time, work on the implementation lasted only 5 months, of which commissioning and testing took a month. Cooperation with Gazpromneft-Supply demonstrates that autonomous navigation technology can be actively used to solve practical problems, noted Andrey Rodionov, CEO of Sitronics KT.

During the period of river navigation, Gazpromneft-Supply delivers hundreds of thousands of tons of cargo by river transport every month. This type of transportation is highly economical and, moreover, is the only possible way to supply a number of remote facilities in Siberia. In the future, bookless navigation will achieve two main goals. First, to increase the efficiency of the use of river vessels and, as a result, the period of river navigation. Secondly, to improve the safety of river transport. Artificial intelligence can faster and more accurately predict risks along the route and, in accordance with them, accurately adjust the route of the ship, said Evgeny Bragar, Logistics Executive Director of Gazpromneft-Supply.

"Shipless navigation has been tested in the field of sea transportation for several years, but has not yet been developed in the field of river transportation. This is due to the lower predictability of river paths and, as a result, the complexity of technology development. When transporting goods along rivers, it is necessary to take into account changes in channels, seasonal fluctuations in water level, drying out or freezing of individual areas and other factors. As part of the next tests, the company will continue to refine the remote control system, as well as coastal infrastructure. In particular, it is planned to improve the quality of communication along the route of the ship. After the company will begin to work out the movement of the tug with one and several barges, commented Nikita Chudinov, project manager of the technological services unit of Gazpromneft-Supply.