RWTH forscht zur Fernsteuerung von Binnenschiffen

Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie fördert Verbundprojekt.

Inland navigation in Germany is struggling with high pricing pressure, low-water periods, and a shortage of skippers. The Institute of Automatic Control at RWTH Aachen University is therefore developing methods and algorithms in the joint project "FernBin" to inland waterway vessels safely and efficiently by remote control. The German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy has been funding the project since July 1, 2020. The project partners are the Development Center for Ship Technology and Transport Systems in Duisburg, the University of Duisburg-Essen, Argonics GmbH, Ingenieurbüro Kauppert GmbH, in-innovative navigation GmbH, and the Federal Waterways Engineering and Research Institute.

The Aachen sub-project deals with the satellite-based localization of inland waterway vessels and, based on this, the algorithms for interactive route planning. These functions increase the degree of automation and reduce the skipper’s workload. Ideally, one operator can control several ships simultaneously from a control center or from home. A demonstrator ship will be used to test the developments on the Dortmund-Ems Canal between the Port of Dortmund and Waltrop Lock. The project results should be available by the end of 2023.

Source: Press and Communications