REMOTE-CONTROL COMMAND Q


We hired a group of ethical hackers and told them


potential of remote and autonomous shipping technologies and wanted to ensure it remained ahead of the curve. Following worldwide research to identify potential collaborators, it selected Rolls-Royce as its partner in creating a


remote-controlled tugboat as proof-of-concept. Svitzer Hermod was built in Turkey at the


Sanmar yard and is equipped with a Rolls- Royce dynamic positioning system, which is the key link to remote-control operation. The tug also features a pair of Rolls-Royce


MTU 16V4000 M63 diesel engines, each rated 2,000 kW at 1,800 rpm. When the vessel isn’t being used for remote-control testing, Svitzer uses it to carry out normal tugboat operations in the Copenhagen Harbour area. Good internet connectivity is crucial to ensuring that the vessel’s remote operations


run smoothly. All of the data from Svitzer Hermod must be transferred to the ROC via a secure and reliable web connection. To do this, the system relies on 3G mobile network connectivity and switches to a satellite-based


of remote and autonomous solutions at Rolls-Royce Marine. “If it loses connectivity on a fairway, the crew are able to pull it over to the side of the fairway where it’s safe.”


Cyber security Svitzer Hermod currently has a crew on board


ready to assume manual control in case something goes wrong during remote operations. In an era of high-profile cyber attacks, the simple loss of connectivity is the least of a vessel operator’s worries. Remote or autonomous ships are obvious targets for hackers, therefore Rolls-Royce and Svitzer have invested significant resources into making their technology cyber secure. In practical terms, this means encrypting information passed between the ROC and the vessel so unauthorized parties can’t intercept it. The tug’s IT networks are also protected using firewalls and the onboard server room is physically secured using locks and CCTV cameras. Should hackers manage to break


to do their worst. They were unsuccessful in gaining a foothold in the network


“That means they get a live understanding


of the level of risk they are exposed to.” With a project of this size, which has a


complex supply chain and multiple stakeholders, it’s important that there is a realistic understanding of residual cyber risks. There are currently no standards or regulations governing the cyber security of remote or autonomous ships. This means that Svitzer and Rolls-Royce, working in partnership with Lloyd’s Register, had to identify and mitigate risks themselves. Once they were satisfied with their security solution, the companies brought in experts to try to find its weak points. “We hired a group of ethical hackers, they


stayed in Copenhagen for two weeks, and we told them to do their worst,” Oates explains. “We’re pleased to say they were unsuccessful in gaining a foothold in the network.”


Automated future In years to come, Rolls-Royce believes vessels will be capable of autonomous navigation with little or no input from a human pilot. With no crew on board, vessels will no


longer have a need for a wheelhouse or crew facilities. This translates into a number of savings and efficiencies, including reduced weight and operating costs. However, Rolls-Royce’s interest in autonomous ships goes beyond the numbers. “Most marine accidents are caused by


human error,” Levander says. “With automation, we can reduce the likelihood and consequences of an accident by removing seafarers from the most dangerous places.” But does removing seafarers from perilous


places mean taking them off ships altogether? Levander and Rolls-Royce don’t think so. “It’s not a black-and-white future,” he says.


Svitzer Hermod in remote operation in Copenhagen Harbour


solution if the vessel leaves a 3G service area. Rolls-Royce has also engineered safety processes in the event that an internet connection is lost altogether. “We have run the vessel out so far that it


loses all connectivity and we have tested that our electronic anchoring system works. If the vessel loses connectivity, it will just stay on the spot,” explains Iiro Lindborg, general manager


through these perimeters to gain access, there are automatic warning systems set up to alert vessel operators to suspicious cyber activity. “If anything happens on the network that


was not designed by an engineer, an alarm is raised and propagated to the people on the vessel and the controller in the ROC,” says Robert Oates, global software team lead within Rolls-Royce’s Control Systems organisation.


“We will have unmanned ships in the future, we will have ships with full manning on board, and we will have ships with reduced manning. The right solution depends on the ship type.” Today, one specially-equipped tug can


move through Copenhagen Harbour piloted by a shore-side captain. But in the not-too-distant future, this captain could also remotely guide a vessel through the Panama Canal, or keep watch over his screen as a bulker crosses the North Atlantic. Now that Svitzer Hermod is in service, shipping has changed for good.


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