Similar to a parking radar and camera system, blind zone visibility and adaptive cruise control in a modern car, ABB Ability™ Marine Pilot Vision gathers data from multiple sources on a ship, interprets the information and conveys these insights to the crew.

This digital solution combines the latest advances in computer vision and integrates multiple sensor functions like radar, satellite, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and gyro to provide multiple real-time visualizations of a vessel’s surroundings, presenting the ship and its environment in ways that expand the capabilities of the bridge operator. A virtual model of the ship is used to help predict the vessel’s motion in relation to its surroundings. This information is merged with the navigational system data, enabling fast and accurate risk assessment and decision making. Thanks to Pilot Vision, the officer on watch can have full situational awareness.

The system’s features and performance are user-driven, and have been developed to make ship navigation easier, safer and more efficient.

Marine Pilot Vision is being used on vessels ranging from large cruise ships and ferries to small tugs operating in crowded harbors. An all-rounded view for docking is especially helpful for large passenger vessels.  Ships are able to use it for precise maneuvers with limited visibility where the augmented camera vision provides accurate distances to any nearby structures or objects such as piers, locks, other ships and pleasure crafts. The solution helps tugs operating in busy waters prioritize risks in their surroundings, whereas merchant vessels that spend long times at sea find the gradual change detection and the poor visibility support most essential for their operations.

Marine Pilot Vision is a future-proof system designed to go hand-in-hand with developments in digital technologies and is a prerequisite for remote and autonomous vessel operations.