Fraunhofer Center for Maritime Logistics and Services
Fraunhofer Center for Maritime Logistics and Services

Sea Traffic and Nautical Solutions

© Fraunhofer CML

Sea Traffic and Nautical Solutions

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We have a lot to offer

The growth in maritime traffic and ship sizes brings challenges in terms of safety and efficiency in maritime shipping. Our experts in nautical science, maritime IT and maritime technologies work in the Sea Traffic and Nautical Solutions department. For example, they clarify for you whether existing port layouts are suitable for future ship developments: Which technologies are required for the safe and efficient operation of highly automated and autonomous ships? How can you control and monitor ships efficiently from land? What use cases are there for maritime robotic systems in port and ship operations? And how can you use best practices from nature for maritime technologies?

Our offer:

  • Use of ship simulators as a test and validation environment for innovative nautical technologies and processes
  • ENC-based software framework for industry-oriented rapid prototyping of nautical digitalization innovations
  • Nautical safety analyses for planning approval purposes and port layout assessment
  • Own high-performance cluster with various nautical data sets for maritime AI training and testing
  • Own modular fleet in the field of maritime robotics (autonomous surface vehicles, ROV, drones) for testing and demonstration purposes
  • Autonomous systems laboratory incl. 3D printing machine park for hardware-related software development and implementation of technical prototypes
  • Bionic feasibility studies for maritime technologies

Actual Projects

 

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Biomimetic Solutions for the Maritime Industry

The concept of "biological transformation" describes the transformation of industrial value creation into biointelligent manufacturing. This also allows the maritime industry to benefit from environmentally friendly and resource-saving advantages with biomimetic solutions. For example, in the development of an AIRCOAT for ship hulls.

 

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Use of Augmented Reality for Efficient Port Maneuvers

The docking and casting off manoeuvres of large ships in ports are time-consuming and resource-intensive. Often several tugs have to be used to bring container giants, for example, to the quay. The FernSAMS project is working on implementing the coordinated control of these manoeuvres from land with remote-controlled tugs.

 

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Maritime Data Analytics

Companies collect and store large amounts of data, such as ship positions and voyages, as well as information about technical systems on board and handling and transport processes ashore, but rarely evaluate them creatively. The research focus Maritime Data Analytics takes advantage of these data volumes.

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Autonomous Technologies for Shipping

The development and evaluation of technologies for autonomous systems and nautical assistance systems form an important research focus at CML. These include a Shore Control Center for the observation and control of a fleet from land and the necessary competence for object recognition at sea including the initiation of necessary evasive manoeuvres. Autonomous units are currently being developed for use in ports.

 

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Maritime Simulation and Shipmanagement

More than 30 ship bridges are integrated in the European Maritime Simulator Network EMSN, which play through complex situations together in virtual manoeuvres. They use the platform for testing new solutions for maritime communication and navigation as well as for training nautical personnel. The CML is in charge of the network, which is now expanding into the Asia-Pacific region. 

Actual Projects

 

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Projects and Products

Product Information

© Jakota Cruise Systems GmbH/ Fleetmon2018

EmissionSEA determines the CO2 emissions of ships

Since the beginning of 2018, shipowners have had to declare the CO2 emissions of their ships in EU waters. In order to validate their information, CML is developing the EmmisionSEA software together with Jakota Design Group GmbH, Wismar University of Applied Sciences and the German Aerospace Center.

 

© SCIPPER

SCIPPER: Shipping Contributions to Inland Pollution Push for the Enforcement of Regulations

In the SCIPPER project, 18 research partners are investigating which tools can be used to measure pollutants in ship exhaust gases. The CML is developing an onboard sensor system for measuring ship emissions and an environmental shipping monitoring center.

© Fraunhofer CML

Project VESTVIND - Improved forecast of ship movements

Knowledge of ship arrivals is essential for the efficiency of port processes. This enables the partners involved to plan and optimise at an early stage. However, different influences lead to deviations. For this purpose, the Fraunhofer CML and TRENZ AG are developing a prediction model for ship arrivals in German seaports as part of the VESTVIND project. Ship arrivals should be reliably predicted up to 72 hours before arrival. Learn more about VESTVIND here.