| Written by Mark Buzinkay
The beginnings of autonomous vessels on the Rhine
Following the Mannheim declaration in 2018, the CCNR Member States called on the CCNR (Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine) to press ahead with the development of digitalisation, automation, and other modern technologies, thereby contributing to the competitiveness, safety, and sustainability of inland navigation. To ensure its implementation, the CCNR decided to entrust the Small Navigation Committee (RN) with the steering and coordination of work relating to automated navigation. The RN Committee deals with all automation-related questions by involving experts in different fields such as technical, nautical, personnel, and legal, among others (learn more about Rhine transport)
The goals of the CCNR initiative
Automation implies a fundamental change in inland navigation and will affect almost all aspects. The CCNR, therefore, took a global approach, taking account of legal, ethical, and social aspects. With this in mind, the CCNR has drawn up a detailed vision as an instrument for steering and coordinating the work to be carried out in the period 2022 to 2028 and beyond within the various committees.
Levels of Automation in Inland Navigation
The levels of automation define the degree to which an automated craft may be operated during its voyage. Each level has specific requirements for the boatmaster's involvement and the system's capabilities. This structured approach ensures clarity on the boatmaster's role and the capabilities of the automation system at each level, facilitating safe and efficient navigation in varying conditions. Here are the detailed levels of automation as defined in the document:
Level 0: No Automation
- Craft Command: Full-time performance by the boatmaster of all dynamic navigation tasks.
- Monitoring and Responding to Navigational Environment: Performed by the boatmaster.
- Fallback Performance of Dynamic Navigation Tasks: Fully managed by the boatmaster.
- Description: The boatmaster performs all aspects of dynamic navigation tasks, even when supported by warning or intervention systems.
Level 1: Steering Assistance
- Craft Command: Context-specific performance by a steering automation system.
- Monitoring and Responding to Navigational Environment: Utilises certain information about the environment.
- Fallback Performance of Dynamic Navigation Tasks: Boatmaster performs all remaining tasks.
- Description: The boatmaster performs all remaining aspects of the dynamic navigation tasks while the steering automation system assists using certain environmental information.
Level 2: Partial Automation
- Craft Command: Context-specific performance by a navigation automation system.
- Monitoring and Responding to Navigational Environment: Uses certain information about the environment for both steering and propulsion.
- Fallback Performance of Dynamic Navigation Tasks: Boatmaster performs all remaining tasks.
- Description: The navigation automation system handles steering and propulsion with some environmental data, but the boatmaster is responsible for other dynamic navigation tasks.
Level 3: Conditional Automation
- Craft Command: Sustained context-specific performance by a navigation automation system.
- Monitoring and Responding to Navigational Environment: Includes collision avoidance.
- Fallback Performance of Dynamic Navigation Tasks: The system performs all dynamic navigation tasks, but the boatmaster must be ready to intervene upon system requests or failures.
- Description: The navigation automation system manages all dynamic navigation tasks and collision avoidance, expecting the boatmaster to respond to intervention requests and system failures.
Level 4: High Automation
- Craft Command: Sustained context-specific performance by a navigation automation system.
- Monitoring and Responding to Navigational Environment: Fully managed by the system.
- Fallback Performance of Dynamic Navigation Tasks: The system performs all dynamic navigation tasks without expecting boatmaster intervention.
- Description: The system handles all dynamic navigation tasks and fallback performance without relying on the boatmaster to respond to requests for intervention.
Level 5: Autonomous (Full Automation)
- Craft Command: Sustained and unconditional performance by a navigation automation system.
- Monitoring and Responding to Navigational Environment: Fully managed by the system.
- Fallback Performance of Dynamic Navigation Tasks: Fully managed by the system.
- Description: The navigation automation system performs all dynamic navigation tasks unconditionally, without expecting any boatmaster intervention.
Inland waterway autonomous traffic research
Autonomous vessel research is a hot topic in countries with an extended coast service infrastructure, such as Norway (supply, ferries, communications). For instance, projects investigate topics like cargo services, emergency services and deep-sea cargo shipping. With traditional manned vessels, liner shipping cargo services and (primarily local) public passenger transport services use fixed lanes and schedules on the basis of anticipated demand. Passengers and cargo shippers must, therefore, adapt to fixed lanes and schedules. Autonomous vessels create possibilities for changing this paradigm and make lanes, and schedules adapt to passengers' and shippers' preferences.
Autonomous vessels can also be seen as a technological advancement to ameliorate the burden that EMS staffing places in the case of boat ambulances and to improve the planning of the system. Such a solution can address the problem of locating ambulance vessels to potential sites given a required service level, which is typically measured as the response time and geographical coverage in sparsely populated areas. Eventually, the introduction of autonomous vessels in deep-sea cargo transport is, from an economic point of view, mainly an issue of cost competitiveness versus traditional manned designs. However, inland navigation differs from navigation at sea in terms of highly restricted routes with high traffic density and narrow junctions. For the development of route planning and safety systems for autonomous ships, traffic conditions on the waterways are of utmost relevance (3).
The River Rhine is still years away from becoming a transport route for autonomous vessels of category 5. The reason is not that remote control technology is not available. The main obstacle is the needed infrastructure along the river that allows autonomous vessel traffic: automated bridges, gates, quays, wireless data communication, and automated anchoring systems. However, a new class of barges is needed, too. Autonomous vessels require a propulsion system different from that of conventional barges in order to navigate with high precision. Dynamic positioning is feasible with at least four movable thrusters, but retrofitting old barges is not economical (2).
Current projects on the River Rhine
SeaFar
Belgian autonomous shipping firm SEAFAR reports that it has set up its first Remote Operations Center in Germany, in conjunction with project partners HGK Shipping and Reederei Deymann. The Remote Operations Center enables captains to navigate vessels on inland waterways remotely from land. HGK Shipping and Reederei Deymann have together equipped five vessels with the SEAFAR system for the project.
The partners are working with public authorities that have granted permits for test operations in the lower Rhine area. The group will collaborate to identify other navigation areas that could also be suitable to apply the system, such as the north-west German canal network, the Mittelland Canal, and other sections of the river Rhine. The technology, which requires fewer crew members working on board for a vessel to operate, has already been deployed on inland waterway vessels in Belgium and the Netherlands, some of which can now be controlled from the new facility in Duisburg-Ruhrort.
"As a leading inland waterway shipping company in Europe, we view ourselves as a driving force for the development of this sector at all times – in constructing new, resource-saving vessels and in also making use of the innovative solutions that are being introduced into everyday life as part of the enormous trend towards digitalisation," said Steffen Bauer, CEO of HGK Shipping.
Reefer Runner 5G
Another example of making the Rhine River transportation more autonomous is Reefer Runner 5G. Reefer Runner 5G is not an organisation but a solution to manage and monitor reefers on barges and in containers along inland waterways like the Rhine. It can be deployed on conventional barges or autonomous vessels as it is 100% self-reliant. The solution offers remote control and monitoring of a single reefer unit. The reefer management does not happen in a central office or remote control room but is decentralised through a cloud service: shipping companies, barge owners (and crew, if any), and the reefer owner can set the parameters of monitoring, alarming and reporting. The view on each reefer is available 24/7. An alarm is triggered if something is outside the defined parameter values. Then, authorised personnel can make a decision on what to do. This process can be, theoretically, even further automated based on business case rules. For instance, the reefer could be manually checked for malfunctioning, or the autonomous vessel could be directed to the next terminal to unload the reefer.
FAQ: Autonomous Vessel on the River Rhine
What are the main challenges faced by inland navigation that are driving the push towards automation?
Inland navigation is confronting several significant challenges, including difficulties with the new generation of skippers and crews, increasing competition from other modes of transport, and the need to reduce the carbon footprint. To stay competitive, inland navigation must improve efficiency and reduce personnel requirements. Autonomous vehicle technology offers a potential solution by enhancing operational efficiency and addressing some of these workforce and environmental challenges.
What progress has been made towards autonomous vessels on the River Rhine since the Mannheim declaration?
Since the Mannheim declaration in 2018, the CCNR (Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine) has been actively advancing the development of digitalisation, automation, and other modern technologies to boost the competitiveness, safety, and sustainability of inland navigation. The CCNR entrusted the Small Navigation Committee (RN) with steering and coordinating automated navigation efforts involving experts from various fields. Several projects, including setting up a Remote Operations Center by SEAFAR and remote Reefer monitoring with Reefer Runner 5G by Identec Solutions, have been initiated to facilitate the remote navigation of vessels on inland waterways.
What infrastructure and technological advancements are necessary for the River Rhine to support fully autonomous vessels?
For the River Rhine to accommodate fully autonomous vessels (category 5), significant infrastructure and technological upgrades are required. These include automated bridges, gates, quays, wireless data communication, and automated anchoring systems. Additionally, a new class of barges with advanced propulsion systems capable of dynamic positioning is needed, as retrofitting old barges is not economical. Autonomous vessels require at least four movable thrusters to navigate with high precision, further underscoring the need for purpose-built barges and comprehensive infrastructural support.
Takeaway
Inland navigation faces significant challenges from workforce issues, competition, and environmental pressures. The push towards automation, initiated by the CCNR following the Mannheim declaration, aims to enhance efficiency and sustainability. Progress includes projects like SEAFAR's Remote Operations Center and Reefer Runner 5G, which offers decentralised reefer management. However, fully autonomous vessels on the Rhine require substantial infrastructure upgrades and new barge designs. While promising, the transition to autonomous inland navigation will take time and significant investment.
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Sources:
(1) Automated navigation on the Rhine https://www.ccr-zkr.org/12050000-en.html
(2) M. Kaster, J. Neugebauer and B. e. Moctar, "Challenges of autonomous shipping: Traffic analysis of inland vessels on the Rhine River," 2022 IEEE 25th International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC), Macau, China, 2022, pp. 2234-2239, doi: 10.1109/ITSC55140.2022.9922301.
(3) Gu, Y., Goez, J.C., Guajardo, M. and Wallace, S.W. (2021), Autonomous vessels: state of the art and potential opportunities in logistics. Intl. Trans. in Op. Res., 28: 1706-1739. https://doi.org/10.1111/itor.12785
