The autonomous ferry MF Estelle , designed and built by Zeabuz , has completed its autonomy test in Stockholm, which was successfully monitored 700 km away from a Remote Operations Centre ( ROC ) in Trondheim, Norway.
The autonomous ferry MF Estelle by Zeabuz
The innovative maritime transport is equipped with an advanced 360° camera system and uses 5G and IoT technology, demonstrating its ability to operate autonomously in real-world conditions. During the crossing, manual adjustments were made in real time, highlighting autonomous systems in marine transport.
The ROC replicates the ferry’s control systems, allowing a detailed view and precise control by the remote operator. The vessel completed a crossing over the Riddarfjärden, ensuring safety through real-time obstacle detection. In addition, the demonstration included a test of manual speed override mid-crossing, carried out without problems by remote operator Levi Jamt from Trondheim.
The operation was a collaboration between Zeabuz , RISE Research Institutes of Sweden , Transportstyrelsen , Tele2 , and other key organizations in the autonomous transport industry. Onboard operators in Stockholm monitored the crossing locally, ready to intervene in case of an emergency, although this was not necessary because the system is designed to enter a safe state if a failure occurs.
Demonstration of a navigation aid. Source: Zeabuz
This demonstration validates the remote operation technology, and enables the scalability and expansion of autonomous ferry fleets in maritime environments to be demonstrated. The company plans to further develop this concept for use in various autonomous maritime applications, especially in challenging conditions such as foggy weather, where the ferry demonstrated capabilities superior to human vision.
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Source and photo: Zeabuz
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