intelligent and safe Port Operations based on Resilient Technology for autonomous and Uncrewed Surface vehicles

Background

Ports are facing the challenge of responding to increasing pressure to decarbonize, digitize, and improve efficiency—while at the same time ensuring safety and resilience in an increasingly networked and complex environment. The use of autonomously operating watercraft promises automation of tasks such as infrastructure and environmental condition inspection and monitoring, thereby supporting data-driven port management.

Objectives

The aim of the iPORTUS project is the safe integration of semi-autonomous or remotely monitored, low-emission watercraft (Autonomous Surface Vessels, ASVs) into complex port environments. The project focuses on ensuring nautical safety and cybersecurity, developing a high degree of autonomy for the systems used, and integrating them into a control center (Remote Operation Center, ROC). In addition, regulatory frameworks for approval processes and economic decisions are to be created in order to enable the future regular operation of autonomous watercraft in German ports.

To this end, five different ASVs are to be deployed in complex real-world port environments and simulated spaces. The vehicles will be tested in two different areas of the Port of Hamburg as part of several real-world test campaigns. The combination of different technical equipment – consisting of commercially available components and components developed in the research project – will enable a realistic and comparative evaluation of different system configurations. The modular design of the ASVs used allows the sensor and control technology to be flexibly adapted to the respective test objectives, thus enabling the technological maturity and operating modes (remote-controlled, semi-autonomous, fully autonomous) to be examined in a practical manner.

Tasks of Fraunhofer CML

Fraunhofer CML will focus on the areas of nautical safety and autonomy. In terms of nautical safety, the focus will be on the physical and virtual visibility of the systems used and the development of a universal risk assessment system for the use of autonomous maritime systems in port environments. And for the monitoring of (semi-)autonomous systems from land, Fraunhofer CML is designing a control center that will ensure external access.

Project Consortium

iPORTUS is managed by the Hamburg Port Authority (HPA). Another project partner alongside Fraunhofer CML is Kongsberg Maritime Germany GmbH. iPORTUS is funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) with approximately €1.7 million under the IHATEC II funding guideline. Associated partners supporting the project include the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), the Free and Hanseatic City of Bremen, represented by bremenports and Niedersachsen Ports, and HafenCity University Hamburg (HCU).