The Port of Riga has joined a consortium comprising Latvia, the UK and Canada to develop a solution for a single Remote Operations Centre.
This week, on 22 and 23 February, maritime and ICT experts, along with researchers from the three nations, convened for a workshop at the Freeport of Riga Authority. Their collective efforts will focus on crafting a solution for a Remote Operation and Control (ROC) platform. This platform will serve as the cornerstone for an advanced testing facility dedicated to shipping and port operations within each of the project partner countries.
“The next generation of shipping and port technologies is rapidly evolving, primarily focused on the development and integration of various autonomous operating systems. These encompass autonomous vessels, a range of autonomous floating vehicles operating above and below water, and autonomous flying drones. The aim is to synergize these technologies to enhance the efficiency and safety of shipping and port operations. However, the principal challenge currently demanding attention is the regulatory gap – the absence of universally recognized rules and standards for autonomous floating vehicles across the world’s seas,” stated Rob Watson, founder of the project’s Lead partner – UK maritime innovation company On The Layline Limited.
The creation of a ROCÂ solution aims to establish a comprehensive system capable of integrating all necessary data sources for safe maritime autonomous operations onto a single platform.
Furthermore, such a platform is crucial for facilitating the advancement of the related industry, as well as for shaping standards and regulatory frameworks governing the utilization of autonomous systems and vehicles on water.
In addition, the establishment of these standards and frameworks will expedite the implementation of new systems and foster international collaboration among countries, leveraging relevant testing platforms in the process.
“We are currently engaged in several new technology initiatives with significant relevance and applicability to port operations. Over the past few years, we have established collaborations with Latvian technology pioneers and the 5G ecosystem. Additionally, we consistently engage in dialogues with leaders in European port innovation – Rotterdam, Trieste, Stockholm, Plymouth and other ports. Given this background, our port’s involvement in the ROC development project is a natural progression. It offers the opportunity to become a unique test bed for next-generation maritime technologies while increasing the overall high value-added activity in the port, attracting high-value investments and generating new revenues through active participation in the data economy,” commented Ansis Zeltiņš, the Freeport of Riga CEO, addressing the positive benefits of the project.
In Latvia, the ROC project partners include the Freeports of Riga and Ventspils, Liepaja SEZ, along with Latvijas Mobilais Telefons (LMT) and Riga Technical University (RTU). The project aims to produce a comprehensive report detailing the overall requirements and a roadmap for the complete development of a ROC system.