Kongsberg Maritime Receives Approval for Remote Chief Engineer Role Transfer

Kongsberg Maritime has received Approval in Principle from DNV to transfer the role of Chief Engineer from a ship to a shore-based Remote Operations Centre (ROC). This move marks a significant step towards uncrewed vessel operations, allowing the Chief Engineer to monitor and control systems on three vessels from a desk-based workstation. The vessels involved in this trial include the world’s first fully electric container vessel Yara Birkeland, and two electric barges operated by Norwegian grocery retailer ASKO.

The transfer of the Chief Engineer role to the ROC will allow one person to manage a range of systems across multiple vessels, increasing efficiency and safety in vessel operations. Full approval for this ‘Chief-to-Shore’ functionality is expected later this year after a testing period overseen by DNV and the Norwegian Maritime Authority. This new approach aims to address the industry-wide shortage of seafarers and contribute to the development of autonomous and uncrewed vessels.

Through remote support for maintenance, troubleshooting, and expertise on alternative fuels, the technology developed by Kongsberg Maritime in collaboration with DNV could lead to a safer and more efficient global fleet. Testing of the remote management system will involve tasks on three vessels this summer, with the Chief Engineer overseeing operations from shore, while other crew members remain onboard. This innovative approach to vessel operations is part of the journey towards fully autonomous vessels.

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