Title Promoter Affiliations Abstract "INLANAV - Innovative Inland Navigation." "Eddy Van de Voorde" "Transport and Regional Economics" "Three private partners (University of Antwerp, Schipco BV and Research Small Barges BV) are participating in the INLANAV-platform with a view of developing new vessel designs and facilitating market take-up. The concepts range from push barges powered by electric engines to the realization of an automatically guided barge with a greater hold; using new technologies and materials like for example composites.The University of Antwerp is examining a two stage tug and barge concept. In the first stage, the tug and barge concept sails on large waterways with several barges pushed by a single tug from seaports to the small inland waterways. In the second stage, at the entrance of a small inland waterway, the convoy is uncoupled and the small barges continue autonomously. The main focus of the concept is to combine economies of scale on large rivers (i.e. tugs and barges together) while the individual barges are small and economically feasible to sail on small waterways. This way the convoy can compete with its main competitor: road transport." "GNSS, INS, Stereo Camera and LIDAR Sensor Fusion and Perception for Autonomous Inland Waterway Navigation" "Peter Slaets, Herman Bruyninckx" "Mechanical Engineering Technology, Group T Leuven Campus, Production Engineering, Machine Design and Automation (PMA) Section" "Due to the movement towards greener industries and lower operating costs there is renewed interest in transporting goods using inland waterways. However, labour expenditures currently make up about 30% of operational costs. Making the ships autonomous would therefore significantly reduce costs. However, autonomous inland waterway navigation requires very accurate localisation, due to the confined spaces of inland waterways. A common solution to the localisation problem is the combined use of GNSS with Inertial Navigation Systems (INS). It has been used in many other robotic applications, however, it needs to be thoroughly tested to determine whether the combination of GNSS and INS sensors will be accurate and reliable enough for safe navigation in this application. Using GNSS/INS sensor fusion is not the only localisation method available. There is also a weakness using a GNSS based system in that GNSS signals are not completely reliable and are known to be sometimes intermittent. Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) and stereo camera is also an option. Recently, a project to map the inland waterways has been completed. The mapping data from this project, coupled with a LIDAR and/or stereo camera could also be an option for localisation. The use of LIDAR and stereo cameras could also be used to constantly update navigational charts based in the cloud, so that all users have access to the most recent navigational data." "The mapping of operational and infrastructural emissions of inland navigation in Flanders" "Cathy Macharis" "Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Information Systems for Management" "This study focuses on the one specific externality, namely emissions, for one parrticular mode, namely inland navigation, including emissions of CO2, CO, NOx, SO2, VOS (volatile organic substances) and PM (particulate matter of fijnstof. Not only emissions related to operational activities of inland navigation where considered, but also emissions related to the required vessels and infrastuctures of inland navigation. Based on a literature study, an LCA-based framework was proposed to map transport related emissions. The proposed methodology was then applied to inland waterway (IWW) transport in Flanders, in order to derive specific emission factors for different GHG and air pollutants, differentiated by barge type and per waterway class, and this for different transport service components (vehicle operation, vehicle fleet and transport infrastructure). In this way, the relative importance of the different components can be compared on different dimensions (e.g. for different pollutants, for different barge types, for different waterway classes) and environmental impact of IWW transport related emissions can be assessed in much greater detail." "Perception for Autonomous Inland Waterways Navigation" "Peter Slaets" "Processing Speech and Images (PSI), Robotics, Automation and Mechatronics (RAM)" "Shipping on inland waterways can be a critical contributor in handling increasing transportation volumes. However, it is faced with a lack of ship crews, which could be alleviated by increased vessel automation, or deployment of unmanned ships. To realise autonomous shipping, prior conceptual research suggests the combined use of several sensor types. While conceptually similar to autonomous road vehicles, unmanned shipping differs in key aspects, such as higher vehicle inertia and lesser manoeuvrability or the resulting need for object detection and identification at greater distances. However, established navigational tools beyond GNSS and radar are available, such as AIS and IENC. While these systems are robust, they have relatively low positional accuracy, and IENC maps are updated only in large time intervals. Aboard unmanned vessels, LIDAR and stereo cameras can be used to complement these tools. They offer greater resolution for object detection, but also require calibration. The purpose of this project is to develop such a calibration procedure for 3D-LIDAR and stereo camera aboard an autonomous ship, as well as to develop object detection and identification algorithms compatible with ECDIS. Further, sensor fusion between available GNSS, AIS, IENC and Radar data (ECDIS map data) and the stereo camera and 3D-LIDAR aboard the vessel is to be implemented and used for ECDIS map updates. Sensor calibration, object detection and sensor fusion are additionally to be validated experimentally on a scale model vessel." "Drafting a note in the framework of the announcement procedure at the EC for providing state support to initiatives for consolidating intermodal rail and inland navigation volumes in the port." "Thierry Vanelslander" "Transport and Regional Economics" "In the framework of the announcement procedure at the EC for granting state support to initiatives for consolidating intermodal rail and inland navigation volumes in the port, a note is to be drafted containing a detailed calculation of the external costs and benefits of this measure. This note is prepared by collaborators of the Antwerp Port Authority and the Flemish Region (MOW). In this project, this note is critically assessed." "Towards dynamic navigational charts for highly automated inland waterway transport" "Peter Slaets" "Mechanical Engineering Technology, Group T Leuven Campus, Robotics, Automation and Mechatronics (RAM)" "Current inland navigational charts, and by extent the Inland Electronic Chart Display Information System (Inland ECDIS) that adds additional sensor information on top of these charts and subsequently visualizes them, are not dynamically updated. Moreover, the data layered on top of charts, e.g. from Radar sensors, is not shared between various assets. This, together with the absence of an xy-accuracy indication for chart objects, severely limits shared situational awareness and automation on our inland waterways. To this end, this thesis aims to study electronic navigation charts, explore possible extensions in the context of highly automated navigation, and develop a modular, open Inland ECDIS module that facilitates dynamically updating the charts based on shared perception from various sources. A distributed sensor fusion methodology will be investigated and optimized to allow for determination of vessel- and object positions as well as for adding xy-accuracy of the local environment projected on the charts. Furthermore, this research will take place in close collaboration with the Flemish waterway administrator to examine new chart attributes and features, and make suggestions for the International Hydrographic Organization standard." "Towards Autonomous Inland Shipping." "Rene Boonen" "Robotics, Automation and Mechatronics (RAM), Applied Mechanics and Energy conversion (TME), Mecha(tro)nic System Dynamics (LMSD)" "Road transport dominates the European and Belgian hinterland freight transportsector. Over the last decades, approximately three quarters of the cargostreams passed by road, whilst inland waterway transport seems to offer a moresustainable alternative. Moreover, the larger inland vessels suffer from an excessof supply over demand, and the amount of smaller inland vessels is diminishing.This negative evolution in the inland waterway transport sector does not alignwell with the European and Belgian governmental ambitions to transfer morefreight transport to their waterways. This thesis aims to investigate a solution forthis emerging tension field by studying the technological feasibility of unmannedinland cargo vessels. More precisely, three research questions are answered.The first question explored: “How to design and construct an industriallyrelevant research vessel for unmanned inland cargo shipping?”. To investigatethe industrial relevance, the present inland waterway transport sector wasexamined. Three developments stood out. First, the European Watertruck+project introduced a novel fleet of modular push boats and barges. Hence, thewatertrucks can separate their navigation time from their cargo handling time.Second, Blue Line Logistics built new flat deck vessels with an onboard crane,which enables them to handle their cargo independently from the shoresideinfrastructure. These vessels focus on transporting palletized cargo. Finally,smaller urban freight vessels have already successfully transported cargo withinseveral European cities. Next to these industrial developments, the recentresearch evolution regarding unmanned shipping in general and the specificchallenges for inland waterway transport motivated the build of two unmannedresearch vessels: a scale model self-propelled watertruck barge and a functionalscale model of a flat deck barge which focusses on palletized cargo. In addition,both research vessels have a length that facilitates intracity freight transportresearch.The second question investigated: “How to model and identify the hydrodynamicmotion models of an inland cargo vessel?”. The modelling part focussed mainlyon the decoupled equations of motion in the water plane, i.e., the surge, sway,and yaw degrees of freedom. To identify this decoupled model, experimental data were fetched with the research vessel in its real outdoor environment. Twoidentification procedures were compared. The first one used the instantaneousforce balance, and the second one integrated the differential equations of thedecoupled motions. Furthermore, two independent data sources were usedto validate the identified models: bollard pull test data, measured inside atowing tank, and longitudinal damping data, calculated via computational fluiddynamics.The third question studied: “How to provide an unmanned inland cargo vesselwith perception and motion control?”. For this purpose, four navigationalenvironments were differentiated, based on the presence of known or unknownand static or dynamic objects. These environments influence the requirementsfor the perception and motion control systems of the vessels: exteroceptivesensors are needed to detect unknown objects, and traffic rules need to beimplemented in order to avoid dynamic objects. This thesis demonstrates thefirst successful missions of an unmanned and autonomous vessel navigating ona river with known static obstacles.Furthermore, this work provides an alternative answer for the last two researchquestions, by the construction of an inland shore control centre to remotelymonitor or control vessels. Accordingly, the operator performs the perceptionand motion control tasks for the vessel, and implicitly models and identifiesthe behaviour of the ship. A shore control centre, however, raises new researchquestions: can this centre help the operator to construct a feeling of ship sense,and can the operator keep the ship in harmony with the environment froma remote location? The initial experiments, with an operator in this controlcentre remotely controlling an unmanned vessel, delivered a first answer forthese novel questions. In addition, this thesis includes some preliminary resultswith an augmented remote control system in the control centre. This augmentedsystem offers the operator extra visualisations and measurements of the vesselon its navigational chart.Evidently, the technological feasibility of the abovementioned research questionsalone cannot judge the socio-economic feasibility of unmanned inland shippingin general. Consequently, this work aims to gain insights in order to enablehigher resolution socio-economic feasibility studies, with the ambition to guidethe course of future investments streams." "A model predictive autopilot for autonomous inland vessels" "Peter Slaets" "Robotics, Automation and Mechatronics (RAM)" "The European Commission has confirmed the importance of shipping via inland vessels based on the EU green deal. It means there will be a growth in their utilization, which would result in a shortage of crew members to operate these vessels. Hence, it is essential to add autonomous features to the navigation systems to moderate the burden of the navigation from the crew’s shoulders so that operating a vessel requires fewer crew members. On the other hand, using an optimal computer-aided navigation system also ensures an optimal path for the journey. Journeys through an optimal way, plus having fewer crew members on board, would lead to reduced fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Current vessels benefit from various navigation systems to keep the voyage’s navigation as autonomous as possible. Among all these systems, the Track Keeping Pilot (TKP), a means of automation, regulates ship steering to keep it on a pre-defined track. Existing TKPs use only user-defined waypoints as input and have no information regarding the vessel’s surroundings. To achieve a higher level of automation on board, considering the vessel’s surroundings situation, the vessel maneuvering dynamics, and external disturbances seem crucial. Therefore, this dissertation utilizes onboard instruments and navigation sensors as inputs to calculate a list of waypoints based on a Model Predictive Control (MPC) approach. In other words, at each iteration, the algorithm predicts the suitable reference waypoints of the ship over a finite horizon based on a constraint optimization problem. Therefore, since the MPC can handle constraints, these waypoints will form a reachable desired trajectory for the TKP. Then, the conventional onboard TKP or a renovated TKP will steer the ship to track the defined course and get to the desired waypoint. In the first phase, the necessary constraints and the MPC algorithm will be worked out and assessed in simulation environments. Afterward, the approach will be validated on an actual inland vessel model to introduce a higher level of automation on board." "Novel inland waterway transport concepts for moving freight effectively (NOVIMOVE)." "Edwin van Hassel" "Port of Rotterdam, IMEC, Delft University of Technology, Port of Antwerp-Bruges (PoAB), Maritime Research Institute Netherlands, Netherlands Organisation for applied Scientific Research (TNO), Development Centre of Ship Technology and Transport Systems, Panteia bv, Transport and Regional Economics" "Inland Waterborne Transport (IWT) advantages as low-energy and low CO2 emitting transport mode are not fully exploited today due to gaps in the logistics system. Inland container vessels pay 6-8 calls at seaport terminals with long waiting times. More time is lost by sub-optimal navigation on rivers and waiting at bridges and locks. In addition, low load factors of containers and vessels impact the logistics systems with unnecessary high numbers of containers being transported and trips being made. NOVIMOVE strategy is to ""condense"" the logistics system by improving container load factors and by reducing waiting times in seaports, by improved river voyage planning and execution, and by facilitating smooth passages through bridges and locks. NOVIMOVE's innovations are: (1) cargo reconstruction to raise container load factors, (2) mobile terminals feeding inland barges, (3) smart river navigation by merging satellite (Galileo) and real time river water depths data, (4) smooth passage through bridges/locks by dynamic scheduling system for better corridor management along the TEN-T Rhine-Alpine (R-A) route, (5) concepts for innovative vessels that can adapt to low water condition while maintaining a full payload, and (6) close cooperation with logistic stakeholders, ports and water authorities along the R-A route: Antwerp, Rotterdam, Duisburg, Basel. NOVIMOVE technology developments will be demonstrated by virtual simulation, scaled model tests and full-scale demonstrations. NOVIMOVE innovations will impact the quantity of freight moved by IWT along the R-A corridor by 30% with respect to 2010 baseline data. The NOVIMOVE 21-members consortium combines logistics operators, ports, system-developers and research organisations from 4 EU member states and two associate countries. The work plan contains 4 technical Work Packages. The project duration is four years; the requested funding is 8,9 MIO." "Research in the field of 'Inland waterway transport innovation'" "Thierry Vanelslander" "Transport and Regional Economics" "Innovative initiatives are numerous in the inland navigation industry but they experience difficulties to spread quickly in the industry. The average age of the active Rhine fleet which has a relatively slow vessel replacement rate and the limited investment capability of the industry are often raised as main bottlenecks for innovation. Innovations are expected to be rational and to have positive business cases. This research examines the conditions for technological, organizational and cultural innovation in inland navigation to materialize effectively and successfully. The innovation process is researched by means of in-depth-case studies by applying methods such as Social Cost-Benefit Analysis (SCBA) and Systems of Innovation Analysis (SIA)."