Remote-Controlled Inland Vessel Presented At German Maritime Conference

Germany-based international logistics firm Rhenus presented the Ernst Kramer, a 50-year-old vessel the group converted to be fully remote-controlled, at the German National Maritime Conference on September 14-15.

Rhenus launched the “FernBin” research project in 2020, in conjunction with several other project partners, including Argonics, the DST (the Development Centre for Ship Technology and Transport Systems), the University of Duisburg-Essen and RWTH Aachen University. The goal was to create extensive inland waterway shipping operations using remote controls.

The Ernst Kramer inland waterway vessel is 104.97 meters long, 9.50 meters wide, has a maximum draught of 3.15 meters and is designed to carry cargo weighing 2,273,645 tons. Its main engine is a Mitsubishi Heavy S16R-MPTA, generating 1,170 kW at 1,600 rpm.

Project engineers converted some of the analog processes on board in order to be able to control the main engine, the rudder, the bow thruster, the radio and radar equipment using radio waves from a distance. Following some initial test operations in July this year, Rhenus presented the project at the 13th National Maritime Conference, the leading event organized by the German government to strengthen the maritime economy.

The public were able to gain some idea of the many opportunities opened up by remote-controlled inland waterway shipping on the FernBin stand in the conference center: skippers Bernhard Buche und Herbert Berger navigated the ‘Ernst Kramer’ remotely from the operator’s stand at the Bremen Trade Fair Centre. The visitors were able to monitor how the vessel made its way in the Port of Duisburg and the Ruhr estuary via a live link—and everything was controlled remotely.

To ensure that the skipper has a precise picture of the situation where the vessel is located, he or she can gain access to all the movement data of the sensor systems and cameras via radio waves from the operator’s stand. “It must be possible to control all the necessary functions for the journey from a distance,” said Lars Reckers, the Technical Inspector at Rhenus Shipping Management, explaining the process. “So far, this has included the rpm. of the main engine, the transmission system, including the clutch, the rudder position as well as the transmission and configuration of the radar image and the radar pilot.”

The test journeys enable those involved in the project to recognize which transmitted functions need to be refined or broadened, depending on the scenario. “To achieve this, we also have to see which regions where remote control is possible during the journey and where the reception for mobile communications creates problems,” Reckers said. “Authorization for extensive test operations from the public authorities has therefore been an important step within the project.”

The prototype of the remote-controlled inland waterway vessel is not only a technical achievement, but also offers significant benefits for the entire profession in future, the company said.

“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. Using remote controls could also create longer operating times for the vessels: while the crew are taking their rest periods, the vessel could continue to be steered from the remote-control center.

The “FernBin” research project will continue until the end of this year–and those involved are seeking an extension for a further three months.

This is not the first experiment with remote control of maritime vessels sponsored by the German government. In 2021, at the 12th German National Maritime Conference, Voith demonstrated a remote-controlled ocean tugboat, a project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). The consortium involved in that project included Hamburg University of Technology, the Fraunhofer Center for Maritime Logistics and Services, the Federal Office for Hydraulic Engineering, winch and crane manufacturer MacGregor, the Marine Training Center Hamburg and communication specialists from MediaMobil.