Remote Operation of Machinery and Automation Systems

The idea behind the ROMAS project is to move the Engine Control Room (ECR) from the ship to a shore-based Engine Control Centre (ECC), where engineers can monitor and control the propulsion and auxiliary machinery systems on a fleet of vessels. As responsibilities and monitoring and control facilities are moved to shore, fewer machinery engineers would be required onboard. With new approaches to design and operations, combined with increased redundancy and more advanced maintenance, it is envisaged that the concept could be operated without any machinery engineers onboard at all, thereby providing an essential first step towards unmanned and autonomous ships. As the scope of ROMAS is limited to machinery operation, manning and operations of other functions e.g. navigation is unaffected and not addressed in this project. With a shore-based ECC, it will be easier to streamline operations and transfer best practices across the fleet. One can also assume that the ECC will be perceived as an attractive work place, which will make it easier for ship owners to recruit and retain young engineering talents. The ROMAS project has considered feasibility and safety aspects, technical solutions as well as operational aspects of the remote operations of machinery concept, with the aim to propose a framework of rules, regulations and verification methods for remote shore-based operations of ship machinery and automation systems, enabling improved operations and cost-efficiency, without compromising safety. The ROMAS project completed in 2019 after conducting a pilot test campaign in 2019, using one of Fjord1?s passenger vessels and technical solutions implemented by Høglund. Through this work, the project demonstrated that the remote operations concept is feasible given a proper implementation of risk mitigations and countermeasures. Experiences from the pilot testing were shared at the HFC in Forum in Trondheim Oct 23rd.(https://www.sintef.no/globalassets/project/hfc/documents/x11-romas---hfc-oct-23-2019.pdf)

MAIN IMPACTS AND BENEFITS:The main impact of the project on the industry partners is an improved understanding and knowledge about challenges, in design and operations, and solutions, technical as well as procedural, that are relevant for remote machinery operation. Moreover, the project partners have developed tools and methods that may be used as building blocks in a future commercial implementation of the concept. For example, the software and hardware solutions developed by Høglund for the ECC used in the pilot testing is a starting point for a commercial product. Fjord1 has deployed learnings from the project in new building specifications for new ferries. The developed knowledge and experiences from the pilot testing have been made available, both to the project partners, through internal reports and project meetings, as well as to the industry at large, through presentations at conferences and media activities.

The idea behind the ROMAS project is to move the Engine Control Room (ECR) from the ship to a shore-based Engine Control Center (ECC), where competent engineers can monitor and control the propulsion and auxiliary machinery systems on a fleet of vessels. When responsibilities and monitoring and control facilities are moved to shore, fewer machinery engineers will be required onboard. With new approaches to design and operations, combined with increased redundancy and more advanced maintenance, one can envisage that the concept could be operated without any machinery engineers onboard at all, thereby providing an essential first step towards unmanned and autonomous ships . (Note: As the scope of ROMAS is limited to machinery operation, manning and operations of other functions e.g. navigation is unaffected and not addressed in this project.) With the on-shore ECC, it will be easier for the ship owner to streamline operations and transfer ?best practice? across the fleet. One can also assume that a shore based control center will be perceived as an attractive work place, which will make it easier for ship owners to recruit and retain young engineering talents. The ROMAS project will consider feasibility and safety aspects, technical solutions as well as operational aspects of the on-shore ECC concept, with the aim to propose a framework of rules, regulations and verification methods to ensure safe deployment and piloting of the concept.