Keppel O&M's tech arm to co-develop driverless tugboat

This will enable AV operations in Singapore by end-2020.

Keppel O&M’s technology arm, Keppel Marine and Deepwater Technology (KMDTech), and ABB will develop the technology for autonomous vessels, and retrofit a 32-meter harbor tugboat integrated with leading-edge digital solutions, according to an announcement.

The development will enable autonomous vessel operations in the Port of Singapore by the end of 2020, and is set to be the first autonomous tug in South Asia.

The purpose of the project is not to remove human operations, but rather relieve the crew from tasks that can be automated and enable them to perform at their best, says Juha Koskela, Managing Director at ABB Marine & Ports.