Rolls-Royce and the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) today announced a strategic collaboration to develop cutting-edge Equipment Health Management and Fleet Management solutions for harbour crafts, autonomous ships and ships with hybrid propulsion system. The partnership was unveiled during Singapore Maritime Week 2024, reinforcing Singapore’s leadership in maritime innovation. The aim is to improve ships with hybrid and electric propulsion systems and entire fleets in terms of availability, fuel consumption and emissions by further developing the automation solution.
The multipurpose patrol craft ‘MPA Guardian’ of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore will be used as the pilot vessel. The hybrid vessel, which is equipped with two mtu 16V2000 engines, will be fitted with the equipment health management system mtu NautIQ Foresight to collect data and optimise operations. This will showcase how the technology can be applied to other ships.
“SIT’s collaboration with Rolls-Royce will drive the future of intelligent and sustainable maritime operations. This partnership reflects SIT’s commitment to applied research that delivers real-world impact – leveraging AI, advanced analytics, and condition monitoring to enhance ship autonomy, optimise fleet performance, and reduce carbon emissions. SIT will contribute our expertise in intelligent systems and sustainability-driven innovations, while working with industry captains to develop practical solutions that address the evolving needs of the maritime sector,” said Professor Susanna Leong, Vice President (Applied Research) at Singapore Institute of Technology.
“We see the joint research project as an important step in the further development of autonomous ships and ships with hybrid technologies. Singapore, as a centre for sustainable shipping, is the ideal location for this outstanding project, with all the progressive institutions we are partnering with here. We are thus promoting the reduction of CO2 emissions and supporting our customers with digital systems and even better service in line with our strategic goals,” explained Kevin Daffey, Senior Vice President of Mobile Automation at Rolls-Royce Power Systems.
