Concept of a Teleoperation System for Inland Shipping Vessels

For some years now, the keyword Maritime 4.0 has also been used to describe the digital transformation in the shipping industry. Given the current challenges in inland shipping, such as the shortage of nautical personnel and the freight structure effect, there is a need for innovative and future-oriented concepts. Modern means of broadband communication and the expansion of the mobile network are opening new ways of managing and networking ships. The joint project “Remote controlled, coordinated driving in inland shipping - FernBin” is part of the “Research strategy for automated driving in inland shipping” and targets the implementation of a teleoperation station on land to address future challenges. This paper addresses the technical concept of such a system and gives insights into the first implementation steps.