Rolls-Royce opened its Marine R&D Center for Remote Control and Autonomous Ships and Artificial Intelligence in Turku, Finland, at the end of this year, marking a milestone in its collaboration with the Autonomous Transport Alliance.

03/09/2017. The new Rolls-Royce center is associated with the Finnish Technical Research Center (VTT) and the Tampere University of Technology (TUT), together with SMEs and startups specializing in new technologies.

The goal of the alliance, an ecosystem that brings together global pioneers and ICT startups, is to deliver the first autonomous maritime products, services and a flourishing ecosystem by 2025. Sauli Eloranta, Rolls-Royce Senior Vice President, said : “Finland is home to the best ICT expertise and a strong maritime group, which is why Rolls-Royce has decided to establish the center in Turku.” The Finnish Innovation Funding Agency (Tekes) is committed to funding the Alliance’s work, its ambitious research and development projects and its innovations to achieve the goal of autonomous and remote navigation in recent years.

(D4V), whose goal was to understand and exploit digital disruption opportunities and value chains in maritime logistics. Rolls Royce’s decision to focus autonomous R&D in Finland is motivating Tekes to increase its investments in active technologies, such as artificial intelligence and communication technologies, and companies that create know-how and synergies with navigation. autonomous. “Automotive and remote transportation projects offer unique opportunities for solution development alongside leading users,” says Piia Moilanen, Program Manager for the Tekes Arctic Seas program.

Pekka Sivonen, Executive Director of Digitization Strategies and Programs at Tekes, said: “Autonomous shipping and logistics offers an important interface with customers, it is a project aimed at development to meet needs.”

Päivi Haikkola, Head of Ecosystem, DIMECC, Autonomous Transport Alliance, said: “The maritime industry is inherently international, so it is natural that the ecosystem around the maritime research and development center is also international, we welcome all innovators for Collaborate with us Exceptional platforms here “.

Source: Port Technology International