Denmark Tests Navigation of Unmanned Ships in World-First Program

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 15/05/2025 at 22:26

Updated on 15/05/2025 at 22:27

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Denmark Tests Uncharted Remote Navigation With Ships Guided by Onshore Pilots, Using Real-Time Data to Replace Physical Shipments and Reduce Emissions.

For the first time, ships are being remotely guided by onshore experts. This innovation comes from Denmark, which launched a pioneering remote piloting program approved by the Danish Emergency Management Agency.

The system replaces the physical presence of the pilot on board with real-time guidance provided from an onshore control center.

The project is conducted by DanPilot in partnership with the technology company Danelec.

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Coast Guided System

Remote piloting operates without the pilot stepping on the ship. Instead, he remains onshore, receiving live data from the vessel’s navigational system.

Based on this information, he provides the necessary guidance for the crew to safely follow the route.

The system collects and transmits data such as direction, speed, course, and location. Everything is sent in real-time to the command center located in the Danish city of Randers.

The initiative represents a new model of navigation for challenging coastal areas or heavy traffic, like the Kattegat and the western Baltic Sea, where the tests will take place.

How The Test Will Be

Denmark has authorized 50 piloting operations with this new system, which will take place over 18 months.

Only vessels with a draft of less than 13 meters that are not required to use traditional piloting can participate.

The ships must also meet strict technical criteria. This is necessary to ensure that the data transmission functions accurately and safely throughout the journey.

Danelec Technology

The core technology comes from Danelec, which developed a data platform connected to the vessel’s Voyage Data Recorder (VDR).

This allows onshore pilots to have a complete view of the vessel’s conditions as if they were onboard.

Danelec’s CEO, Casper Jensen, stated that the innovation is also a strategy to make maritime transport more sustainable. He emphasized that cybersecurity is an essential part of the solution, as everything relies on the integrity of the data transmitted in real-time.

Advance After Six Years of Work

The program marks the result of six years of technical and operational development. For DanPilot’s CEO, Erik Merkes Nielsen, it is a significant turning point for the industry.

According to him, remote piloting makes the work safer and helps cut costs and emissions. Additionally, it prevents sudden changes in speed and course caused by the physical boarding of pilots.

Impact on The Maritime Sector

The change may have lasting effects. The new system eliminates the use of pilot boats, which also reduces emissions and logistical costs involved in these operations.

The company Maersk, one of the largest in the industry, is participating in the tests by providing vessels for the experiment.

For now, only about 10% of DanPilot’s operations are covered by the system.

However, if the tests are successful, the Danish model could serve as a basis for similar changes in other countries.

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Denmark Tests Navigation of Unmanned Ships in World-First Program

Denmark Tests Uncharted Remote Navigation With Ships Guided by Onshore Pilots, Using Real-Time Data to Replace Physical Shipments and Reduce Emissions.

Coast Guided System

How The Test Will Be

Danelec Technology

Advance After Six Years of Work

Impact on The Maritime Sector

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Denmark Tests Navigation of Unmanned Ships in World-First Program

Denmark Tests Uncharted Remote Navigation With Ships Guided by Onshore Pilots, Using Real-Time Data to Replace Physical Shipments and Reduce Emissions.

Coast Guided System

How The Test Will Be

Danelec Technology

Advance After Six Years of Work

Impact on The Maritime Sector

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China transforms desert-devastated area into the world’s largest artificial forest, planting trees for 60 years, blocking sand that reached Beijing, and creating a “green lung” of 92,000 hectares in a region once considered lost.

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