Shipping Technology has introduced ST Sailing Pro, an advancement of its ST Sailing track pilot, which now manages both a vessel’s steering and propulsion. This innovation marks a significant step towards achieving autonomous sailing. The system allows the captain to input a destination and desired arrival time, continuously calculating the optimal course and engine power while accounting for various maritime conditions.
ST Sailing Pro enhances fuel efficiency by an additional 10% on top of the previously validated 5% reduction from ST Sailing. Operating at level 2 of the CCR automation scale, the system requires constant oversight from the captain. Since beginning data collection in 2018 with the ST Brain PRO unit, the company has implemented automatic rudder control and is now active on over 400 vessels.
Last year’s trials involved a thruster-driven river cruise vessel, followed by tests on conventional commercial vessels, which represent a significant portion of the inland fleet. After six months of trials under a Smart Shipping permit, the system is now being tested across various vessels in the dry cargo, tanker, and passenger shipping sectors.
Rijkswaterstaat, part of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, has validated the 5% fuel savings for ST Sailing through certified testing, with the additional 10% savings from propulsion control largely determined early in a voyage.
