SSN (Shore Supported Navigation)

The aim of this pilot project is the remote control of an estuary vessel between the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge. This is done with a reduced crew on board and a captain in a control centre on land.
Status
Past
Duration
Jan 2020 - Jul 2021
Type
DBC project, National project

Based on the pilot tests and interaction with maritime stakeholders (i.e. the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge), it will be determined which aspects of vessel operation can be automated or monitored with alarms and which aspects need to be monitored and executed in a different way.

The following - non-exhaustive - objectives will be addressed in this project:

  • Identification and validation of navigation algorithms for semi-autonomous navigation between points of reference by integrating Seafar’s control system;
  • Creation of a pilot system for safe and redundant communication along the test route, supplementing existing public infrastructure with Citymesh systems and implementing solutions for network limitations;
  • Identification and validation of the business case for the deployment of business-critical communication infrastructure for estuarine and inland navigation;
  • Determination of the required human interaction according to the state of the vessel and the task to be performed and precise determination of the tasks that can be performed by the captain in the control centre;
  • Elaboration of methodologies for navigation and environmental awareness; to transfer the watch safely between captains on the vessel and in the control centre; for follow-up and management of the log as well as setting up procedures for minor and major accidents and defects.

Partners: Wennick, Seafar and Citymesh

With the support of: VLAIO (Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship)

Contact: Eveline Buyck

The video of SeaFar gives a practical impression of how vessels can be remotely controlled:

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