Agency Report –
Berlin – German shipping company HGK Shipping has received approval to run a six-month trial to remotely operate a cargo ship along a major German canal, with the vessel controlled from a command centre some 400 kilometres away.
The trial involves the ship “Niedersachsen 2” (“Lower Saxony 2”), which will be navigated remotely using radar, radio communications, and joystick controls from an office in the western German city of Duisburg.
This technology aims to ease the critical shortage of qualified labour by offering captains a stable office-based role, replacing longer periods spent continuously at sea.
“It’s a powerful tool to make the profession more attractive to skilled workers,” said Steffen Bauer, chief executive of HGK Shipping.
Competitor Rhenus is also developing its own remote navigation system, with plans to establish its own command centre by 2030. Herbert Berger, managing director of Rhenus Ship Management, said the system would create more appealing jobs for ship captains.
