Article

Denmark first to launch data-driven remote pilotage


published on 15 May 2025 2080 -






Remote Pilotage in Denmark




Denmark Launches World’s First Remote Pilotage Test – A Paradigm Shift in Maritime Navigation

With official approval from the Danish Emergency Management Agency (DEMA), DanPilot and Danelec have launched a groundbreaking test program for remote pilotage – the first of its kind globally. This approval marks a key milestone and paves the way for a technological transformation in the maritime sector, aiming to improve safety, climate impact, and operational efficiency.

Piloting Without Boarding: A New Era in Navigation

After six years of intensive development, Denmark is now taking a historic step toward a smarter, safer, and more sustainable maritime infrastructure. For the first time, ships will be guided remotely through Danish waters without the pilot physically boarding the vessel. Instead, pilotage operations will be conducted from a dedicated control center in Randers, based solely on real-time data transmitted from the ship.


The technology enabling this is developed by Danelec. Using the ship’s Voyage Data Recorder (VDR), crucial navigation data such as position, course, and speed are transmitted directly and securely to the control center. There, licensed pilots analyze the data via advanced software and provide precise navigation guidance – all from shore.

Focus: Safety, Sustainability, and Cost Efficiency

The initiative brings together multiple benefits:


  • Enhanced safety: Eliminating the physical transfer to vessels removes one of the riskiest parts of a pilot’s job.
  • Lower CO₂ emissions: Ships no longer need to slow down or adjust course for pilot boarding, leading to significant fuel savings.
  • Reduced operational costs: Less need for pilot boats and associated logistics.
  • Digital transformation: Supports Denmark’s strategic ambition for digital maritime leadership.



“Remote pilotage makes our work safer and helps reduce both CO₂ emissions and operational costs for our customers. We have worked intensively towards this for six years, and now we can finally test it in practice. It has the potential to become a major paradigm shift in how pilotage is carried out.”
– Erik Merkes Nielsen, CEO of DanPilot


Controlled Test Phase

The pilot program will run for up to 18 months, covering approximately 50 pilotage operations. It is limited to selected sea areas – namely the Kattegat and the western Baltic Sea – and to vessels that:


  • Meet strict technical requirements
  • Have a draft under 13 meters
  • Are not subject to mandatory pilotage

The test is being carried out in close collaboration with multiple shipping companies, including Maersk, which provides vessels operating within the designated areas.

Global Relevance and Technological Maturity

DanPilot estimates that up to 10% of all pilotage operations in Danish waters could potentially be handled remotely in the future. If the test program proves successful, it may serve as a model for international implementation.

A core pillar of the system is cybersecurity. As pilotage becomes digitally connected, the safe and tamper-proof transmission of navigation data becomes a critical requirement. Danelec’s system architecture is designed with cybersecurity as a fundamental component, ensuring compliance with maritime safety standards on a global scale.


“Remote pilotage is not only a technological breakthrough – it is a strategic step towards safer and more sustainable shipping. We are proud to deliver the technological infrastructure that enables safe navigation without the physical presence of a pilot. Here, cybersecurity – a cornerstone of our technology – is a prerequisite for implementing the solution safely and at scale in the global maritime sector.”
– Casper Jensen, CEO of Danelec




Join the conversation...

Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
jc
jianhua chen China
on 15 May 2025, 22:18 UTC

这是引航业今后的发展趋势,值得肯定。
0

jc
jianhua chen China
on 15 May 2025, 22:18 UTC

这是引航业今后的发展趋势,值得肯定。
0

Read more...

Video The Port Authority of Jamaica | Critical Services - Pilotage

published on 15 April 2021

Pilotage is compulsory in all Jamaican ports and is a necessity for the safe passage and docking of ships entering and leaving the harbours. No ship or vessel can enter our Ports without the #PortAuthorityJa’s pilotage services. #MarinePilots, being the experts in local conditions, are required to assist in the navigation and manoeuvring of vessels in our channels and port areas and are dispatched to all ports in Jamaica on a 24 hour basis. Our #PilotBoatCrew ensures that Marine Pilots are...

2

Video Transit of the Panama Canal with an XDF LNG Carrier on the Newly expanded locks under pilotage

published on 19 December 2020

Join me as we transit through the Panama Canal from the North-East side to the South-West. An interesting vlog on how an XDF LNG carrier transits through the newly expanded Panama Canal.Find out its history and which vessel and Captain transited the Canal on its opening day on the 15th of August 1914.The interaction with the Pilot Captain Arnulfo Cepetno who assist me on transit the Cocoli locks.

2

Article The challenges of remote pilotage simulated in Rauma

published on 7 October 2021

As a part of the ISTLAB project the impact of external factors on pilots’ activities in a remote pilotage situation has been examined in Rauma.

0

Article Watch out for hydrodynamic effects when manoeuvring your ship in restricted waterways

by SWZ|Maritime - published on 14 October 2021

Research on hydrodynamic interaction indicates that if the speed of the ship near a bank is too high, the rudder may be less able to cope with the forces induced and control will be lost. The Nautical Institute highlights this in its latest Mars Report, in which an LPG carrier hit a barge being towed by a tugboat as a result of hydrodynamic forces.

1

Video Maersk Saigon 332.01 meter - tribute to PTP Marine Pilot

published on 27 January 2021

#marinepilot
#harbourpilot
#maritime
#portoftanjungpelepas

0

Article Human Error in Pilotage Operations

published on 3 December 2024

This article was first published back in September 2021: Pilotage operations require close interaction between human and machines. This complex sociotechnical system is necessary to safely and efficiently maneuver a vessel in constrained waters.

0

Video Maritime Pilotage in Turkiye

published on 4 November 2022

0

Video So Long Solina! The Local Captain Takes His Leave November 2, 2021

published on 9 February 2022

A more unique angle regarding freighter departures; I was able to film the routine disembarking of one of our local ship captains and officers after piloting Solina out of the harbor. This is a required procedure, as per US Maritime Laws, all international freighters must be piloted in and out of a US harbor by a US Captain. Here we have out local pilot vessel Sea Bear running up alongside the Solina to allow the two officers to depart the freighter before she heads out across Lake Superior

0

Article Unique electric pilot boat to the Swedish Maritime Administration

published on 17 October 2024

The Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) has ordered an EF-12 Pilot boat from Artemis Technologies. The foiling and fully electric pilot boat will be one of the first of its kind.

0

Video Actual Pilot Boat Approached Ship/Boat Debarking

published on 14 April 2022

#actualvideos #pilotboat #actualfootage

0