Autonomous vehicles can be found throughout the global supply chain, from self-driving trucks to aerial drones and warehouse robots. But they’re not a common sight on the world’s waterways.
That may be starting to change. The German logistics services provider Rhenus Group recently presented a prototype of a remote-controlled inland waterway vessel at a maritime conference. The public unveiling followed three years of work. Rhenus says it launched its “FernBin” research project in 2020, working in conjunction with project partners Argonics, the DST (the Development Centre for Ship Technology and Transport Systems), the University of Duisburg-Essen, and RWTH Aachen University.
For their test subject, the group selected the Ernst Kramer, a nearly 50-year-old inland waterway vessel that measures 340 feet long by 31 feet wide and boasts a cargo capacity of 2,273 metric tons. For the pilot, they converted several analog processes to digital, empowering remote control of the main engine, rudder, bow thruster, radio, and radar equipment. Engineers then showed off the system at the 13th National Maritime Conference, an event organized by the German government.
The development of the remote-controlled vessel is not only a technical achievement but could also offer significant benefits for the profession, according to Lars Reckers, technical inspector at Rhenus Shipping Management.
“A shortage of specialist workers is affecting the inland waterway shipping sector, too. Thanks to remote controls, it’s conceivable that some skippers could work from home and therefore make the profession even more family-friendly,” Reckers said in a release. “Using remote controls could also create longer operating times for the vessels: While the crew are taking their rest [breaks], the vessel could continue to be steered from the remote-control center.”
