Wärtsilä Claims World First in Ship Guidance

Technology group Wärtsilä has announced a successful conclusion to sea trials of SceneScan, a laser-scanning dynamic positioning (DP) system.

The SceneScan DP technology does not require the positioning of a shore-based target to operate – a world’s first according to Wärtsilä – and so is being heralded as a major advance for automated ship guidance, safety and operational efficiency at sea.

Trials of the new system, developed by Wärtsilä’s Guidance Marine technology specialist, were carried out onboard the Topaz Citadel, a vessel which provides logistics support to the offshore energy sector.

For the 90-day test, SceneScan was connected to a DP system already fitted to the vessel. According to Wärtsilä, Topaz Energy and Marine has said it will retain the SceneScan system as fitted to the Topaz Citadel and begin a phased roll-out of the technology to four other support vessels.

“The testing and evaluation was carried out and proven under actual DP operations with offshore platforms in the Caspian Sea" said Andrew Stead, Head of Business Development for Guidance Marine.

“The positive feedback provides further evidence of the efficiency and accuracy of the SceneScan system.”

Paul Jarkiewicz, Operations Director at Topaz Energy and Marine, also commented: “The installation on-board the Topaz Citadel was seamless and the technical support provided by Wärtsilä throughout the testing period successfully determined the system’s overall effectiveness.

“We have no doubt that the SceneScan system will add considerable value to the DP operations of our versatile and digitised fleet.”