Developers: | Rosmorport FSUE, Sitronics CT (formerly Kronstadt Technologies) |
Date of the premiere of the system: | October 2023 |
Last Release Date: | December 2023 |
Branches: | Transport |
Content |
Main article: Bookless navigation, BOE (Unmanned Sea Vessels)
2023
Launch of the ferry "General Chernyakhovsky" into commercial operation
In Russia, the commercial operation of the first sea vessel in remote control mode began: the ferry "General Chernyakhovsky" began an autonomous flight. Such information was shared with TAdviser on December 19, 2023 by representatives of the Digital Transport and Logistics Association.
The ferry "General Chernyakhovsky" was the first in the country to start working in remote control mode using autonomous navigation tools (a-Navigation). The vessel serving the sea line between the Leningrad and Kaliningrad regions left the port of Ust-Luga in the direction of the port of Kaliningrad.
"We are launching the General Chernyakhovsky sea ferry on the first autonomous flight. I note that this is not a test run. This is the start of a full-fledged commercial operation of the vessel, which should deliver important socially significant cargo to the Kaliningrad region, "said First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov, who gave the command to launch the vessel remotely. |
As he clarified, the launch of the ferry offline is the result of work that has been going on for several years. Thanks to the implementation of the project, Russia is one of the world leaders in the development and use of autonomous navigation.
"General Chernyakhovsky" is a dual-fuel road-railway ferry of the CNF19M project, the second in a series of the latest eco-farms operating on a strategically important for the Russian Federation in the context of the prohibition of transit through Lithuania of some goods to the Kaliningrad region of the line connecting the western Russian exclave with the main territory of the country. The innovative vessel was built by order of Rosmorport as part of the state program "Socio-Economic Development of the Kaliningrad Region."
"General Chernyakhovsky" will pass about 500 nautical miles in autonomous mode. The ferry will be operated from the Remote Control Center throughout the part of the route running on the high seas. The ship, which carries socially important cargo to the Kaliningrad region, will arrive at the port of Kaliningrad on December 21, 2023.
Deputy Minister of Transport Alexander Poshivai via video link handed over the command to the operator to start operating the vessel in autonomous mode.
"The advanced introduction of autonomous navigation technologies can ensure increased competitiveness, as well as the widespread use of Russian technologies both in Russia and abroad. In our country, the development of maritime transport using autonomous navigation technologies is not a one-time project, but a targeted state policy pursued by the Government of the Russian Federation. The use of autonomous shipping technologies will lead to a decrease in the operating costs of shipowners, improve the working conditions of ship crews, "said Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Alexander Poshivai. |
Ecopar "General Chernyakhovsky," operating on the line "Ust-Luga Seaport - Kaliningrad Seaport" since October 2022, has the first certificate of a marine autonomous and remotely controlled surface vessel (MHF) in Russia. It is equipped with systems for autonomous control (autonomous navigation system, coordinated control system, computer vision system, optical system for analyzing the surface situation and state of the vessel) created by the Russian developer Sitronics Group. In the complex, they analyze the environment, transmit information to the systems of decision-making, maneuvering and monitoring the condition of the vessel. Information is transmitted from the vessel to shore to the Remote Control Center, where the external crew sees the external situation to the same extent as the ship, and, if necessary, can take control in a remote format.
"Today's event is a significant milestone for the industry and everyone involved in the project. This can already be considered a serial introduction of autonomous systems, which are equipped with two ferries of the Ust-Luga line - Baltiysk (Marshal Rokossovsky and General Chernyakhovsky, editor's note). For this, special equipment and software developed by us were installed. In the complex, all systems analyze the environment, transmit information to the systems of decision-making, maneuvering and control over the condition of the vessel, "said Nikolai Pozhidaev, President of Sitronics Group . |
According to him, autonomous navigation is designed to improve the safety of navigation. Therefore, the technology will also develop on river ships. In particular, in the fall of 2023, Sitronics Group conducted successful tests of autonomous navigation in river waters and plans to finalize the solution and implement it in 2024.
We expect that, thanks to our joint efforts, in the next few years, cashless solutions will find their place in everyday work both at sea and on rivers, "concluded Nikolai Pozhidaev. |
According to Kirill Gaida, Deputy General Director for Maritime Safety of FSUE Rosmorport, Russia is the first in the world to begin the practical use of autonomous navigation technologies in real conditions. The mass implementation of such systems among a wide range of domestic shipowners will not only increase the safety of navigation and the competitiveness of maritime transport, but also improve the transport logistics of Russia as a whole, the top manager is convinced.
"Pride for Rosmorport is to stand at the origins of the introduction of a-Navigation in the Russian Federation as one of the key technologies in the digital transformation of the marine industry. I am sure that by joint efforts we will continue to successfully cope with the tasks set to ensure safe and uninterrupted navigation throughout the country and, as a result, sustainable progressive development of the marine industry, "added Kirill Gaida. |
As of December 2023, the second ferry - the Marshal Rokossovsky ferry, located in the seaport of Ust-Luga - is also ready for remote operation, according to a message published on December 19, 2023 on the official portal of Rosmorport.
In 2021, a list of socio-economic development initiatives until 2030 was approved in Russia, which included unmanned logistics corridors, autonomous navigation and unmanned cargo delivery, said Polina Davydova, director of the Digital Transport and Logistics Association.
"Today the mass commercial operation of air supplies, commercial transportation of goods by M-11 has already begun. Today we together launched the commercial operation of sea vessels, "added Polina Davydova. |
Obtaining a MAH certificate
Rosmorport registered the first unmanned ferries in Russia. The press service of the enterprise announced this on October 3, 2023.
The first in the Russian Federation certificates of marine autonomous and remotely controlled surface vessels (MANS) received ecoparomes "Marshal Rokossovsky" and "General Chernyakhovsky," carrying out transportation on the line "Seaport Ust-Luga - Seaport Kaliningrad." Documents issued by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping allow remote control of vessels with the ability to switch to manual control when moving at sea, as well as manual control with decision-making support, including when passing narrowness and entering the port.Read more here.
Work on the transfer of the Marshal Rokossovsky and General Chernyakhovsky ferries to the regime of autonomous vessels has been carried out by FSUE Rosmorport together with Sitronics KT since 2022 as part of the federal project "Autonomous Navigation."
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