Development, verification, and certification of a digital twin for a voyage data recorder

Abstract This paper documents the details of the design, verification, and certification of a novel technology: a remote monitoring system (digital twin) for a voyage data recorder, referred to as the HermAce Gateway. The electronic components, data transfer, and storage principle explain how the HermAce Gateway communicates and records safety-critical messages. Various prospective benefits to the industry are provided, primarily regarding the opportunities for remote support and testing that the digital twin facilitates. The HermAce Gateway was independently verified through a combination of semi-automated software in the loop and selected complimentary hardware in the loop tests. Different types of communication were simulated in multiple ways, including approximating real-world scenarios. Alarms contained in correctly formed messages were found to be detected and recorded by the HermAce Gateway, and a discussion of how this evidence can be quantified in the context of reducing uncertainty in the reliability of a digital twin. Certification of a digital system is a new concept in the maritime industry. The identification of functional requirements, which informed the verification testing, and the development of an AI register for what is expected to be an increasing number of such systems are also documented.