Supporting autonomous shipping

Autonomous shipping is thriving in Rotterdam. Especially because the Port Authority, City of Rotterdam, Ministry of Infrastructure, interest associations, insurance companies and other non-technical stakeholders are collaborating to enable the innovators and inventors to experiment, validate technology and move ahead.

Want to know more about autonomous shipping? Click here.

The global maritime industry as a whole is developing at all levels of automation and remote monitoring. However, taken together, (semi)autonomous sailing is still far from commonplace and only at the beginning of what is possible or desired. Also, legal, political, local or financial conditions are not always optimal. A few years ago, Rotterdam and the surrounding region decided to overcome some of these challenges to support autonomous shipping initiatives.

Want to know more about Smart Shipping? Click here.

Are you looking to experiment with (semi)autonomous drones, ships or platforms? Do you want to validate your technology? Get updated about the region’s ecosystem that enables automated sailing, download the whitepaper 'Supporting Autonomous Shipping' below and watch the videos.

Providing space to experiment

Jelmer de Lange is Coordinator Shipping Innovations at Rijkswaterstaat (an executive branch of the Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management). He thinks that recruitment and sustainability are two of the biggest challenges the industry faces and that smart, automated shipping is part of the solution. Together with his colleagues, Jelmer creates the (legal) framework that enables start-ups and other companies to experiment on rivers, coastal areas and lakes in the Netherlands. Watch the video below to hear what he has to say.

Risk and insurance

For both the whitepaper and the videos we interviewed Anneke Kooiman, Associate Director Technique Marine at DUPI Underwriting Agencies. From her perspective (a.o. risk-analysis), she sees opportunities, especially in inland shipping. Indeed, she says the Rotterdam insurance community has embraced autonomous shipping. In the video below, Anneke explains why.

Company perspective

There are many different small and large companies in the greater Rotterdam region, and of very different backgrounds, that work on (aspects of) autonomous sailing. They need the space to test, to develop, build, adapt and grow. One such company is Shipping Technology. Its founder, Remco Pikaart, was a skipper before he sold his vessel to start his smart shipping technology business. Shipping Technology develops data-driven products for inland shipping barges in the ecosystem mentioned above. Listen to his ideas and experience in the video below.

If the videos above have made you curious as to what the opportunities are in the Maritime Capital of Europe for your own automated endeavours, download the whitepaper 'Supporting Autonomous Shipping' below! This whitepaper elaborates on all three of the above topics, and more. ‘We’ – Rotterdam, its surrounding cities and businesses – welcome technology and ideas to speed up the process of safe, efficient autonomous sailing and all that entails.

So, are you looking for a place - and customers - to bring your sustainable solution to life? Read the download and contact us!