New ShippingLab study highlights the potential of remote pilotage
Photo by Perle Møhl
A new anthropological study from the University of Southern Denmark, conducted as part of ShippingLab’s SLGREEN project, provides a practice-based insight into the impact of remote pilotage on collaboration and decision-making – and points to significant potential for safety, efficiency and the future organisation of pilotage services.
Remote pilotage could become an important supplement in future shipping
In the future, remote pilotage could become an important supplement to traditional pilotage in Danish waters. This is the assessment of DanPilot following several years of testing and operational experience, where the pilot guides the vessel from a shore-based control centre instead of being physically present on board.
A new report from the University of Southern Denmark, conducted as part of ShippingLab’s SLGREEN project, contributes new knowledge about how remote pilotage functions in practice. The report is based on an anthropological study in which the work was followed closely both on board vessels and in DanPilot’s control centres. The study therefore takes a close look at concrete working situations and shows how roles, responsibilities and decision-making are organised in practice.
DanPilot sees the study as important documentation of how this way of working functions.
“The findings of the report support the conclusion that both pilots and crews are able to acquire the necessary knowledge based on familiar data – even when it is presented in a different way,” says Brian Schmidt Nielsen, Head of Project at DanPilot.
New ways of working
Remote pilotage not only changes where the pilot is located, but also how work is organised on board. According to DanPilot, collaboration between the pilot and the bridge team is strengthened.
“We can see that the collaboration between the pilot and the officer of the watch is actually significantly improved when pilotage is conducted remotely,” says Brian Schmidt Nielsen.
He also points out that pilots develop new ways of working:
“Pilots acquire a new way of conducting pilotage operations, and some of what they learn through remote pilotage can also be brought into traditional pilotage operations.”
The study points to the crew taking on a more active role and gaining greater insight into the decisions being made when pilotage is conducted remotely. This is precisely the practice that the study focuses on.
“Remote pilotage is not about copying what is done on board on a one-to-one basis, but about how collaboration, responsibility and decision-making are organised in practice when the pilot is no longer physically present. At the same time, remote pilotage supports the division of responsibilities prescribed by regulations, where the pilot acts as an adviser rather than taking over the actual navigation,” says Perle Møhl, author of the report and Associate Professor at the University of Southern Denmark.
Regulation will be the next step
Today, remote pilotage in Denmark is carried out under a trial scheme. If the solution is to become part of day-to-day operations, it places requirements on regulation.
“It requires a regulatory framework that allows remote pilotage as a product,” says Brian Schmidt Nielsen.
DanPilot sees remote pilotage as a further development of pilotage services – not as a break with existing practice. According to DanPilot, remote pilotage can become an important supplement to traditional pilotage, where both solutions can be used side by side. At the same time, it can contribute to a better work-life balance for pilots, help address recruitment challenges and contribute to retaining pilots in the profession for longer.
“Remote pilotage is a good example of how we can develop pilotage services based on safety and professional expertise. For us, it is not a question of either-or, but of using both new and existing solutions wisely so that we can strengthen security of supply, working conditions and efficiency,” says Janni Torp Kjærgaard, CEO of DanPilot.
Pilot safety is an important part of the picture. Boarding via pilot ladder remains a risky operation, particularly in poor weather conditions, and remote pilotage can in some cases reduce the need for such operations.
At the same time, the perspective extends beyond pilotage itself. Remote pilotage can contribute to a more stable flow of traffic, lower energy consumption and better planning of work – both on board and ashore.
Background
The study was conducted by Associate Professor Perle Møhl from the University of Southern Denmark and forms part of ShippingLab’s SLGREEN project. ShippingLab is supported by Innovation Fund Denmark, the Danish Maritime Fund, DS NORDEN / Orient’s Fund and the Lauritzen Foundation.
For further information
DanPilot
Brian Schmidt Nielsen
bsn@danpilot.dk / +45 24 41 96 62
University of Southern Denmark
Perle Møhl
perle@sdu.dk / +45 65 50 32 21
ShippingLab
Magnus Gary
mg@shippinglab.dk / +45 40 95 07 14