The International Maritime Pilots’ Association (IMPA), in collaboration with the Canadian National Centre of Expertise on Maritime Pilotage (NCEMP) and the Canadian Coast Guard, have released a report on the technical readiness of remote pilotage solutions.
This first report from the International Study on Remote Pilotage finds that proposed remote pilotage solutions offered potential benefits. However, for the study to progress to the trial phases in mandatory pilotage areas, key challenges need to be overcome, according to IMPA.
The association said there are challenges relating to system redundancy and enabling critical pilotage workflow tasks. Shared situational awareness, collision avoidance, relative navigation, and manoeuvring close to other ships and infrastructure were identified as significant risks.
The report was compiled based on extensive desktop assessments of remote pilotage solutions proposed by manufacturers and system integrators.
The proposals were made in response to a request for information issued by IMPA in November 2024. The assessments took place in April and May 2025 with class society Lloyd’s Register as technical adviser.
IMPA said it is acutely aware of the need to overcome some of the scepticism of its intentions to trial remote pilotage solutions. Mature solutions are needed to reveal the capabilities, limitations and prerequisites of remote pilotage in port approaches, ports, canals, rivers and lakes where pilotage is mandatory.
"We have had a glimpse of what might be possible, but we are not there yet," said Captain Simon Pelletier, President of IMPA. "Our primary concern is how to conduct trial phases that are not skewed by the limitations of technology solutions. Artificial limits will not help us deliver the objectives of the study."
"The first time around, we wanted to see what was out there and not put people off by being too prescriptive," remarked Captain Alain Arseneault, Executive Director of NCEMP. "We had anticipated a lot of interest as a result, but this did not materialise. We have learned through this process that a more detailed set of goal-based requirements may help identify a minimum viable solution we can use in the study."
An updated request for information with more detailed goal-based requirements for remote pilotage solutions for trials in mandatory pilotage areas will be issued in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Manufacturers and system integrators wanting more information should contact IMPA or NCEMP.
