Kongsberg Ship Steering & Autopilot Systems  (1)

Blue Insight provides an open, modular platform for the processing, visualisation and sharing of ocean data. The core module contains the cloud framework – which has been built to the highest cyber security standards – and an application-specific dashboard teamed with data storage and management functionalities. Additional modules can be added to this framework to tailor Blue Insight’s functionality to suit all projects, however large or small. Key to Blue Insight’s data-streaming functionality is the concept of sensor fusion, by which data is streamlined from various onboard sensors and a local database for seamless transmission into the cloud. In addition, the module serves as a link with KM onboard sensors for remote operation. Process Data can be collected from any platform, ranging from crewed to autonomous surface vessels or even underwater vehicles such as AUVs or gliders. Through ongoing delivery projects, several modules already exist to assist customers in obtaining the best results from Blue Insight, including Remote, a module that enables remote access to a KM echosounder via a web interface. Other tools The portfolio of modules and support for specific instruments will be continuously expanded Ocean View, a powerful and comprehensive web-based visualisation tool for historic and real-time sensor or database data; and Data Forwarder, enabling data conversion into any common format and automated data forwarding to external cloud systems or databases. Science Analytics supplies an infrastructure for more in-depth data-handling capabilities, such as the implementation of machine learning and AI-enhanced data analysis on board or in the cloud. As an example, one of the first delivery projects has seen the module providing a framework on unmanned surface vehicles for the automated onboard classification of fish. The portfolio of modules and support for specific instruments will be continuously expanded, consistent with KM’s aim to provide customers with unprecedently swift access to data, even in heterogeneous environments. Understanding the impact One of the first projects to take advantage of the functionality provided by Blue Insight is a collaboration between KM and Akvaplan-niva, gathering meteorological, oceanographic, biological and chemical data from unmanned autonomous glider vehicles. The project has been underway for several years, but recent funding from the oil & gas company ConocoPhillips Norway has focused efforts towards understanding the impact of offshore oil & gas facilities on selected marine species in the North Sea. Project development The project is continuing to evolve the glider concept into an operational system for research and industry while advancing the digital environment to introduce new, cutting-edge management and analysis features. Blue Insight has been an invaluable aid for managing the vast amount of data collected at sea with the fleet of gliders "Blue Insight has been an invaluable aid for managing the vast amount of data we collect at sea with our fleet of gliders, often for months at a time,” says Lionel Camus, Manager for Digital Solutions at Akvaplan-niva. “This innovative digital toolbox has enabled Akvaplan-niva to deliver professional solutions and to share an unprecedented common experience via the cloud with our customers during each survey." Increasing knowledge of the ocean environment “We’re very excited to be able to bring Blue Insight to market,” adds Tonny Algrøy, Sales Director Ocean Science, Kongsberg Maritime. “Our primary focus in developing this powerful, cloud-based framework for data collection, sharing and analysis has been to increase our knowledge of the ocean environment and act as a digital enabler for sustainability. It’s great to see that vision now becoming a reality. Collaborations such as the glider project demonstrate how research institutions and industry can work together to benefit from contextualised data, furthering the joint aims of conservation bodies and global business operations.”

The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) has awarded a contract to Kongsberg Protech Systems USA to deliver Remote Weapon Systems (RWS) as part of the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) programme. The Indefinite-Delivery/Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) contract has a potential value of $94 million and includes a series of Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) systems and full-rate production units. This production contract award follows a Sept. 2020 contract award from the USMC to KONGSBERG for test articles and activities, which includes Design Verification Testing (DVT).

By installing the Vessel Insight infrastructure, Island Offshore will collect all data from its fleet on one common platform. The data collected will enable the company to use advanced decision support tools and benchmark its vessels, by comparing operational data from all vessels, in order to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, as well as automate the reporting processes. “We are very pleased to contribute to further strengthening Kongsberg’s collaboration with Island Offshore. We look forward to working closely with Island Offshore to deliver and further develop solutions that can help give them a competitive advantage in the market, as well as help them achieve their goals for safety, efficiency and sustainability”, said Andreas Jagtøyen, the Executive Vice President of Digital Ocean, at Kongsberg Digital. Integration with Vessel Insight platform Four vessels in the fleet are already connected to the Vessel Insight platform Four vessels in the fleet are already connected to the Vessel Insight platform and Kongsberg Digital is continuously working on installation on the remaining vessels in the fleet. For the first vessels, Island Offshore has already used the Vessel Performance application from Kongsberg Maritime and the partner application, Yxney Maritimes MARESS, which is available in Vessel Insight’s maritime ecosystem. This has, in a short time, led to the four vessels now going from manual to automated reporting. Trond Hauge, the Technical Manager, Island Offshore, said “By collecting all data on one common platform, we get a correct and efficient starting point to analyse our operations, and compare all the vessels in the fleet. In this way, we can share experiences between the vessels and ensure that they operate as efficiently and safely as possible.” He adds, “The fleet will be even more sustainable, by reducing fuel consumption, and thus, the attractiveness in the market will increase. With increasing demands for reporting, going from a manual to an automated reporting process will save us a lot of work.”