A method for controlling a towing train including a ship and at least one tug acting on the ship, including the steps of: providing a data model, which includes fixed data of the ship and of the at least one tug as well as variable environmental data; determining the current course, the thrust vector, and the inertial force of the ship and specifying a desired travel direction of the ship with subsequent calculation of the correction force vector and correction torque required to achieve the desired travel direction; calculating the required positions, orientations, and drive settings of the at least one acting tug using an algorithm that accesses the data model and generating control commands for the at least one tug such that the sum of all the force vectors and torques of the at least one acting tug corresponds to the required correction force vector and correction torque; transmitting the generated control commands to at least one acting tug and monitoring the completion of the control commands; and conducting an evaluation of the produced correction force vector and correction torque after completion of the control commands and generating and storing correction values in the data model when deviations are detected between the produced correction force vector and the required correction force vector and/or between the produced correction torque and the required correction torque and then repeating certain steps.