Two Norwegian pilots were onboard to assist the navigators during the sail. The crane vessel is 220 meters long and 102 meters broad, making the mission quite challenging. In addition, the narrow strait meant the vessel had minimal margins on both sides during the 9-hour sail.
But slowly and steadily, the vessel moved safely through to the other side. In navigating the giant through the narrow waters, the pilots and navigators depended on enough quality data about the surrounding conditions. On board, the pilots tested a new mapping tool, the S-100 Demonstrator, that gave them a detailed, high resolution 3D visualization of the ocean floor.
This tool is developed by Kongsberg Digital as part of the S-100 Demonstrator project, with Electronic Chart Centre (ECC), the Norwegian Coastal Administration, the Norwegian Mapping Authority’s sea division and the Norwegian Armed Forces, and funding from the Norwegian Research Council.
The S-100 Demonstrator software was also used extensively during the planning of the operation, together with the K-Sim Offshore Vessel Simulator, where the captain and pilots verified the whole operation beforehand in Heerema’s simulation center.
Read more about the S-100 Demonstrator project here
The Norwegian Coastal Administration also tested drones with a 360 degree video format to ensure a eyes on the asset from onshore. Watch the video of the sail: