The technology group Wärtsilä and Singapore-based PSA Marine have agreed to collaborate in the co-creation of smart technologies for the marine sector. The focus will be on solutions that are human-centric and deployable. The Letter of Intent was signed on November 14 as part of the events celebrating the anniversary of the opening of the Wärtsilä Acceleration Centre in Singapore.

Specific collaboration areas envisioned include the use of electric or hybrid technologies that further the use of low-emissions energy and propulsion systems; the incorporation of next-generation smart vessel technologies; the adoption of secured connectivity to facilitate ship-to-shore data exchange; and marketing and branding activities that generate awareness.

With one dual-fuel harbour tug running on LNG already in service, and another joining the PSA Marine fleet by the end of this year, PSA Marine and Wärtsilä have pledged to design and develop more solutions for smart and low-emissions harbour craft. The intention is to integrate the deep capabilities developed in the IntelliTug project with new configurations and concepts of hybrid, electric, and other clean energy sources.

“The Acceleration Centre promotes innovation and joint projects with qualified partners in support of Wärtsilä’s ambition of a Smart Marine Ecosystem that will deliver huge advances in efficiency, safety, and environmental performance. Our on-going IntelliTug project was the Centre’s first co-created initiative together with PSA Marine, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Lloyd’s Register, and the Technology Centre for Offshore & Marine Singapore (TCOMS). This cooperation with PSA Marine is now being continued through this agreement, and we look forward to continuing our innovative and important work together,” said Mervin Ong, Managing Director, Wärtsilä Singapore.

“PSA Marine and Wärtsilä intend to lead and develop smart, scalable, and clean energy solutions for the longer term, as we play our part towards decarbonisation and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions,” commented Peter Chew, Managing Director of PSA Marine.

The Wärtsilä Acceleration Centre has played an important role in the IntelliTug project, which is bringing an autonomously operated harbour tug concept to feasibility. The concept is undergoing testing aboard PSA Marine’s ‘PSA Polaris’ tug. Among the enabling technologies thus far employed are the joystick and digital control of the vessel’s azimuth thrusters, virtual anchoring to hold position, smart navigation with automatic path planning, and situational awareness for detecting and avoiding the risk of collisions.

The IntelliTug project has also been largely instrumental in the launch of Wärtsilä’s Smart Technology Lab in Singapore. It provides facilities for testing integrated technologies in close cooperation with customers and end-users in a co-creative and collaborative environment. The Lab also enables potential technological and holistic solutions that address the needs and challenges faced by customers, to be jointly explored.

Wärtsilä has also recently established an Expertise Centre in Singapore to enhance its global provision of various value-adding customer support functions. These include, for example, asset diagnostics and remote monitoring for customers having Lifecycle Solution agreements with Wärtsilä.

The signing ceremony was attended by Finland’s Minister of Economic Affairs, the Finnish Ambassador to Singapore, the Singapore Ambassador to Finland, and top executives from both Wärtsilä and PSA Marine.