SeaML: SeaDragon is an electrically powered unmanned surface vehicle (USV) with a catamaran design that was developed at the Fraunhofer Center for Maritime Logistics and Services CML as a demonstrator platform for autonomous maritime systems. With a length of 5.5 meters, a draft of 40 cm, and high aneuverability, SeaDragon is particularly suitable for port, coastal, and nearshore operations. Read all about SeaDragon here.
The increasing digitalization and integration of ship operations, navigation, communication, safety equipment and systems have expanded the functionality of modern navigation systems. However, this has also increased the workload for the crew, making it more difficult to develop situational awareness and make appropriate decisions, especially in critical situations. In the BEYOND research project - Building an Experience to Yield Optimal Nautical Displays - Fraunhofer CML's researchers developed and validated a comprehensive toolbox for evaluating maritime HMIs.
The RePo MAN project focuses on the use of modern technologies to improve the safety and efficiency of pilotage at sea. Traditionally, pilots have faced significant risks when boarding ships, especially in rough weather conditions. The project aims to eliminate these risks by introducing remote pilotage systems that enable pilots to guide vessels from shore-based facilities using advanced technologies.
Until now, electronic nautical charts have primarily been provided for on-board navigation systems. The Octopus ENC Server developed at the CML, on the other hand, can be seamlessly integrated into existing maritime processes.
Did you ever want to try something but hesitated because you couldn’t find a quick and easy way to make your idea come to life? Did you ever need a specific part to finish your design that was unavailable in stores? If so, Fraunhofer CML 3D-printing expertise may be the solution for you.
Floating garbage islands, trash found in bird stomachs and traces of microplastics discovered in sea food have become shocking yet regular reports in the media. Their negative impacts are widely known and affect local flora and fauna as well as the human population everywhere.
In the fight against litter accumulation on the seafloor, the SeaClear project deals with the development of a holistic system for the search, identification, mapping, and collection of marine litter on the sea-floor.
Web, 6G, IoT, cloud computing, big data, autonomous robotics, machine learning... they are heard over and over again. Although they seem complicated and mysterious at first sight, we strive to deliver their benefits to end-users in a human-friendly and natural way.
The Web Service Layer provided by Fraunhofer CML is designed to deal with complex robotic systems. Even when there are multiple operators simultaneously controlling multiple robotic systems remotely, the integrity and traceability of data are guaranteed through the authentication and access control mechanism. For safety critical components such as unmanned vehicles, our live monitoring and control overriding capabilities provide managers with more options in handling potentially hazardous situations.
Fraunhofer CML’s surface, aerial, underwater and crawling vessels (UXVs) are a combination of in-house developments and commercials products that form an interconnected unmanned robotic vessel fleet. The robots are modular in design enabling the incorporation of survey-specific measurement equipment to perform unmanned services for near-shore and ports operations.
Each vessel can execute a user-specific task, while information is relayed and saved within the cloud and is displayed to the user in real time and stored for post-survey data analysis. An operator is supervising the vessel continuously in the background to keep the human in the loop and ensuring all safety requirements for safe dispatch and recover of the robotic vessel at the targeted area of interest. This holistic modular setup allows researching, demonstrating and validating of novel on-demand Robot As-a-Service concepts.
Similar to their natural namesake being adapted to live in a large range of habitats across the world, having tremendous sensory and cognitive capabilities, Fraunhofer CML’s SeaLion is a highly modular robotic platform that can carry a large set of sensors and robotic devices to perform specific and complex service tasks.
The in-house developed Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) SeaML:SeaLion was originally conceptualized to demonstrate that interconnected robotic vessels can provide on-demand robotic assistance services for the near-shore and port environment such as ship inspections (RoboVaaS project).
The Web Service Layer provided by Fraunhofer CML is designed to deal with complex robotic systems. Even when there are multiple operators simultaneously controlling multiple robotic systems remotely, the integrity and traceability of data are guaranteed through the authentication and access control mechanism.
For safety critical components such as unmanned vehicles, our live monitoring and control overriding capabilities provide managers with more options in handling potentially hazardous situations.
Biomimetics can function as a strategic concept to create highly innovative and sustainable biomimetic solutions throughout all industries. The feet of a gecko are a prominent example for an application of biomimetics for industry purposes.
Digitalization, Industry 4.0 and the newest trend „Biological Transformation of Manufacturing“ are pushing companies to escape their traditional ways of design and manufacturing and instead use bio-inspiration to shift to bio-intelligent strategies. Within projects like AIRCOAT and BIOINSPACED, the biomimetic experts at Fraunhofer CML have put their knowledge to good use to facilitate the implementation of biomimetics into industry projects.
Navigational safety assessments comprise the investigation and evaluation of a potential risk of collision or grounding of a vessel under specific circumstances, e.g. in poor weather or in congested traffic situations. Using real-time simulation methods facilitates the assessment of risks without posing a threat to humans and assets.
Shipping transports 90% of global goods while consuming 276 mega tonnes of fuel annually. This leads to an emission of 940 mega tonnes of CO2 and a contribution to 2.5 % of global Greenhouse Gas emissions annually. One approach to reduce these emissions is the application of adaptive weather routing solutions developed at Fraunhofer CML.
European Maritime Simulator Network - Cadets, Officers and Navigators now Experience Cooperative Training - this is the idea of EMSN Connect. Today, more than 10 maritime simulation centers with over 30 bridges are involved in the network. They use the platform for joint testing of new solutions for maritime communication and navigation as well as for training nautical personnel. For this purpose, complex virtual environments are created that provide realistic manoeuvring conditions. Read more in our flyer!
With the introduction of the requirement of merchant ships being equipped with transmitters of the Automatic Identifcation System (AIS), efficiency and safety of the maritime transport could be increased by the automated exchange of position, speed, course and other data from ship to ship, or ship to base station. In addition to forecasting ship movements, Fraunhofer CML develops intelligent algorithms for many other applications.
Using real-time simulation methods, the risk of ship collisions or groundings can be minimized. Especially, the methods can be used in ports to save their infra- and superstructure from unsafe navigation by guiding pilots and tugs. The system and its methods are introduced in this flyer.
Fraunhofer Center for Maritime Logistics and Services
