Ships controlled from the mainland: here is the IB Marine software

A control room will manage ship traffic from the mainland. This is the IB Marine project that aims to create the first unmanned ships.

A first step towards unmanned ships?

IB Marine is developing a new technology that will revolutionize shipping, especially commercial shipping. The company, which specializes in naval solutions, is in fact testing software for the remote monitoring and management of entire fleets. This would allow not only to have a constantly updated information database, but also to optimize maintenance times. The software will also be able to recommend the best route to follow taking into account the weather conditions.

In effect, it would be a question of creating unmanned ships, completely autonomous and managed from the ground.

“In every ship I can get inside, I take it to the office. We take the data and turn it into information, ”he says Giampiero Soncini, CEO of IB Marine.

ANSA announces that the latest version of the software will be presented at the Seafuture of La Spezia. The update will include the integration of ice maps for the North West and North East passages. Here is how Soncini specifically explained how the software works:

“We have a software that collects all the data of the ship and the meteorological data, the navigation data, of the engine system. We have developed algorithms that allow us to verify the management so, for example, we can tell the captain that he is sailing at a speed and at a consumption that is outside the parameters. Or we can recommend a different route to avoid a cyclone. Evaluations are made by mathematical algorithms that examine 100 different possibilities in one second. However, the commander will then decide how to use the information. Putting it all together at the end of the year we can also reach 100 million savings per year for large fleets ”.

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A control room for the remote management of ships

The news comes after a particularly disastrous 2020 for the maritime sector, especially due to the collapse of the cruise industry. IB Marine could be the first step towards the creation of unmanned ships. As stated by Soncini himself in closing:

“Remote monitoring is the first step towards transpacific and transatlantic unmanned ships – concludes Soncini – which I think will be quite widespread in 20 years and the norm, 60-70% between now and 30”