© CAPTN / Ann-Christin Wimber
IHK Schleswig-Holstein
Autonomous on the water: CAPTN and the sailors
Maritime mobility is facing a transformation. With the development of autonomous ships, innovative concepts are coming to the fore that are not only emission-free, but also safer and more efficient. Autonomous shipping offers a sustainable alternative, especially in urban coastal regions and port cities. A pioneer in this field is the Kiel-based research and innovation network CAPTN (Clean Autonomous Public Transport Network).
Autonomous shipping aims to enable ships to operate without permanent human control. They use a variety of sensors, cameras, GPS, radar and AI-based control systems to manoeuvre safely. The advantage: human error is reduced, energy consumption is optimised and emissions are also drastically reduced thanks to electric drives.
Autonomous ferry operations are particularly suitable for ports or urban waterways. The routes are fixed, the speed is low, and the environment is easy to map. This makes operations particularly safe and efficient. However, a glance at the Kiel Fjord shows that even in such supposedly safe waters, there are major challenges: in addition to ferries and cruise ships, there are various water sports enthusiasts and countless sailing boats.
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CAPTN is an interdisciplinary research and development project that brings together various stakeholders from science, business, city administration and civil society. The aim is to create an ecological, autonomous transport network on the water that can be integrated into public transport in the long term.
At the heart of CAPTN is the development and testing of autonomous ferry systems. The focus is primarily on connecting the east bank with the west bank in order to relieve land-based traffic while maintaining a high level of comfort on the ferry connection. Many commuters and tourists already use this connection today. In the future, the autonomous ferry system will take over this route in an emission-free and largely autonomous manner.
The first test vessel, called ‘Wavelab’, was developed by the scientific partners at Christian Albrecht University in Kiel, Kiel University of Applied Sciences and Muthesius University of Fine Arts and Design in Kiel, together with industrial partners, and built by Gebr. Friedrich Werft in Kiel. The ship primarily serves as a research vessel on which new sensor technology, navigation systems and control software are tested.
The aim is to create a fully automated ferry system that transports passengers safely, quietly and in an environmentally friendly manner. Not only is the technology being tested, but issues of acceptance, the legal framework and integration into existing transport systems are also being addressed.
Particular attention is being paid to safety: the ferry is equipped with redundant systems and can be taken over manually at any time if necessary. In addition, work is continuously being done on predictive collision avoidance. The latter poses challenges with the sailing boats that are popular on the fjord. Depending on weather conditions and the position of the sun, it is less intuitive for sensors than for the human eye to recognise whether a sail is hoisted, in which direction a sailing boat is moving and whether a manoeuvre is imminent. Innovative software, continuous training and testing under real conditions ensure continuous further development. Then one day the goal can be achieved: the safe passage of an autonomous ferry through the field of the windjammer parade at Kieler Woche.
Wavelab is just the beginning. In the long term, the CAPTN concept is to be transferred to other waterways and ship types. Autonomous commuter boats, emission-free supply ships or even combined land-water transport systems are conceivable.
In addition, the findings from CAPTN can also be used in international contexts. Autonomous shipping is a globally growing market, and projects such as the one in Kiel show how practical research and sustainable mobility can go hand in hand.
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