Supporting each step to smarter inland navigation

Digitalization – starting with the efficient collection and use of ship data – is a key enabler of shipping's decarbonization. Enhanced monitoring, predictions and optimization simulations all contribute to reducing emissions, increasing efficiency and improving maintenance, and thus facilitate regulatory compliance. And this is as true in inland waterways as it is at sea.

The pathway to increasing automation in inland navigation

In 2018, the Mannheim Declaration was issued by Central Commission for the Navigation on the Rhine (CCNR) member states to the organization to develop a roadmap to:

• Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and pollutant emissions by 35% compared with 2015 by 2035
• Largely eliminate GHGs and other pollutants by 2050

The Declaration also called on the CCNR to develop digitalization and automation to further the competitiveness, safety and sustainability of inland navigation.

Although no statutory regulation exists yet, the CCNR has since developed a framework and adopted the first international definition of inland navigation automation levels. This definition creates a common basis to assess the need for regulatory measures. It is widely used in inland navigation pilot projects, and by national authorities and international institutions.

Automated inland navigation covers a broad spectrum from simple assistance to completely autonomous navigation. It increases efficiency by reducing the workload of skippers, but it also raises new challenges, including:

• Maintaining safety levels
• Ensuring the proper crew composition
• Navigating and retaining maneuverability in a restricted environment

Under the CCNR’s definition, remote control is not considered as a form of automation. However, remote control remains an important intermediary step towards increased levels of automation, and smarter inland navigation overall.

Remote monitoring and decision support to reduce emissions

Shipowners are pursuing pathways to reduce their carbon footprint. And introducing smart functions onboard ships to improve monitoring and transparency will be a key driver of this transition toward more sustainable shipping. 

Bureau Veritas has developed its SMART additional class notations to support clients in their smart transition. These notations are adapted to a range of specific advanced functionalities and systems, for example: 

• SMART(EnEx) is assigned for energy efficiency solutions
• SMART(Nx) is assigned for station-keeping and track control functions 
• SMART(Mx) is assigned for electric hybrid power plants used with energy storage systems 

These notations may be assigned with a digit indicating the covered data lifecycle:

• Group 1 – “Computer-based ships” 

  This covers the functional safety of computer-based systems and digital solutions generating data onboard.

• Group 2 – “Connected ships”

  This covers data infrastructure, such as: ship-to-shore data transfers, the means of data collection, and remote access to ship’s data. This group also includes cyber security requirements.

• Group 3 – “Augmented ships”

  This covers data-driven operating models, including remote ship monitoring, remote support and the optimization of ships’ efficiency for operational and environmental performance.

A first in inland navigation’s digital era

In 2024, Bureau Veritas introduced the first classification and certification service for the remote control of inland ships: the SYNC-COM additional class notation. SYNC-COM applies to ship-to-shore communication systems for control that ensure the synchronous transfer of time-sensitive data, excluding the distress exchanges.

The additional notation SYNC-COM-R covers the technical requirements for radio control solutions for ships and other units including: 

• Gateways
• Safety
• Redundancy
• Cyber security 
• Radio connectivity coverage
• Fallbacks for the ship-shore control communication

With this notation, our experts have developed a basis for two types of certification:

• Classification certificates for ships equipped with the synchronous ship-shore communication system
• Type approval certificates for the digital solutions for mission critical communication

A SYNC-COM-R classification certificate demonstrates the compliance of ship-shore control communication systems. As such, it can enable owners to obtain a permit for autonomous operation from regional authorities. It is issued after a detailed design approval process and an onboard survey with extensive testing and rivertrials and maintained based on periodical surveys.

Increasing autonomy and smart functions onboard represents a fundamental shift in shipping. Supporting crews with faster and more accurate decision making, it will improve fleet management and enable inland ship owners to advance their decarbonization aims. 

Throughout this journey, class societies will need to facilitate the adoption of these technologies – with the understanding that each vessel, fleet and owner has their own unique goals and requirements. Bureau Veritas is by its clients’ side to define their needs, identify the solutions that suit them, and implement them safely with its dedicated guidance.