HGK Shipping has been granted a permit to begin remote-controlled operations of an inland waterway vessel on the German canal network, marking the first approval of its kind in the country.
Issued by the German General Directorate for Waterways and Shipping (GDWS), the approval allows the push barge combination Niedersachsen 2 and Hannover to operate under remote control on the route between Scharnebeck and Salzgitter during a six-month test phase.
The test phase follows successful initial trials on part of the route earlier this month. The remote operations will continue with a full crew on board during this stage, with plans to progress toward reduced-crew operations in future phases.
“Innovative approaches are demonstrating what’s possible if technology and sustainability join forces,” said Eric Oehlmann, Head of the German General Directorate for Waterways and Shipping.
“After carefully considering all the statutory requirements – paying special attention to safety – and successfully completing a test run, we’ve now reached this point: the push barge combination can be put into service from the company’s headquarters in Duisburg using remote controls with immediate effect.”
The system is supported by SEAFAR technology, with remote operations managed from a Remote Operations Center in Duisburg. HGK Shipping has been working with SEAFAR to address the shortage of qualified skippers and modernise its fleet.
The vessels have previously operated under a Belgian permit on the Rhine for trial runs with a full crew, based on guidance from the Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine. The current test phase on the German canal system will help determine the viability of scaling remote-controlled operations more broadly, with the long-term goal of reducing onboard crew requirements and improving working conditions.
