In a world first, Denmark initiates remote pilotage test program

Photo: DanPilot

With approval from the Danish Emergency Management Agency, Denmark’s national pilotage service provider DanPilot is now initiating a test program for remote pilotage. It is partnering with ship data collection and AI-based analysis specialist Danelec to launch the program.

After six years of development by Danpilot and Danelec, the test program —the first of its kind in the world— will allow pilots to guide ships from land, using advanced data transmitted directly from the vessels.

The aim is to improve pilot safety and reduce fuel consumption for ships – all without compromising navigational safety. In this way, remote pilotage can support Denmark’s leadership position in the shift towards safer and more sustainable shipping.

“Remote pilotage makes our work safer and helps reduce both CO2 emissions and operational costs for our customers,” says Erik Merkes Nielsen, CEO of DanPilot. “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.”

The approval has been granted as part of a broader effort to enhance safety and preparedness at sea. The test will serve as a foundation for future regulation and possible broader application – both nationally and internationally.

The remote pilotage program will take place in the Kattegat and the western Baltic Sea. For the first time, it allows pilots to guide selected ships through Danish waters without boarding them physically. Instead, the operation is carried out from a control center in the city of Randers – removing the most hazardous part of a pilot’s job: the physical boarding of ships.

“Remote pilotage is not only a technological breakthrough – it is a strategic step towards safer and more sustainable shipping,” says Danelec CEO Casper Jensen. “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.”

BENEFITS

Remote pilotage offers significant benefits for the maritime sector. Ships no longer need to alter course or speed to embark a pilot, which leads to lower fuel consumption. At the same time, the need for pilot boats is eliminated in relevant scenarios – saving both fuel and logistics resources without compromising operational safety.

During the test phase, the technology will only be used on vessels that meet specific technical requirements and only in designated waters. Carried out only during transits that do not require compulsory pilotage, the solution is expected to be relevant for up to 10% of DanPilot’s pilotage operations in Danish waters.

The test is being conducted in collaboration with a number of shipping companies, including Maersk.

The remote pilotage program is based on Danelec’s technology, which collects and transmits key data from the ship – including course, speed, and position – via the ship’s Voyage Data Recorder (VDR). This data is transmitted in real time to DanPilot’s control center in Randers. Here, the pilot uses Danelec’s software to analyze the information and provide accurate navigational guidance – without being physically present on board.