Logistics and transportation are more and more data driven. Shipping is an important link in the logistic chain. In inland waterway transport the traditional VTS will disappear and will be replaced by Vessel Traffic Management (VTM). Passage of bridges and locks will be optimised and skippers will receive a time slot well in advance so they can adjust their ship speed to arrive just in time. This will reduce the emissions of the ship and infrastructure will be used more effectively. The other development is the automation of the vessels towards autonomous ships. Vessels plan their route automatically and take deviating measures to avoid collisions. Operators in a Shore Control Centre (SCC) monitor the vessel and can intervene in case of an emergency.

What is the impact of these developments on future VTS/VTM or on SCCs? Which information should be available to the operator and when? What will be the interaction between a VTS and a SCC? In our simulator facilities we can study these questions and optimise the situational awareness of operators on shore.