The project was formally completed in May 2021 after 43 months. Despite the pandemic, we managed to carry out the 3 planned demonstrations, including all other planned deliveries.

For more information about the project's results, please contact project coordinator at Kongsberg Seatex.

Successful demonstration of the H2H Concept for an auto mooring operation

The H2H Concept for an auto mooring operation with Blue Line Logistics vessel Zulu 4 was demonstrated as an online event on the 31st of May 2021. During the event, both the technical solution and results from the demonstration were presented by Mampaey Offshore Industries.  

Here is the link to the recording: https://youtu.be/82UX9sSssmk

21st of May 2021: Demonstration of H2H concept for an auto mooring operation with Blue Line Logistics vessel Zulu 4.

The intelligent Dock Locking System (iDL) demonstration will happen as an online event on the 21st of May 2021. The demonstration is split into two parts; first part consists in a presentation about the schedule, project and equipment details. The second part is reserved for demonstration videos. Due to the COVID-19, the event will be on-line and the audience will see the Zulu 4 vessel sailing and approximating the quay with the iDL system installed on the deck, the vessel will position in the quay and the iDLs are activated and the auto mooring procedures can perform.

Success criteria for the demonstration is to perform a safe auto mooring operation with use of H2H system components.

Registration for the event

H2H Project webinar: 5G for Maritime Applications

As part of the H2H Project, SINTEF has looked into the potential applications of 5G communication within the context of maritime operations in various waters. This next generation of mobile networks aims to deliver wireless connectivity for new applications beyond traditional connectivity and mobile broadband for the smartphone market. For the maritime industry, 5G thus has the potential to address a wide range of usage scenarios within ship-to-ship, ship-to-shore, and onboard communication.

To share our findings on how maritime actors may benefit from 5G, the H2H Project invites to the webinar "5G for maritime applications" on May 11th at 11:30 to 13:00 CET. In the webinar, Senior Scientist Stig Petersen from SINTEF Digital will give an introduction to mobile network technologies and systems in general. He will also present technical capabilities and novelties introduced by 5G that may be relevant for maritime operations, along with potential benefits for unmanned and autonomous ships.

The webinar will be an online event on Zoom with approx. 1 hour presentation and 30 minutes Q&A.

Registration for the event

Successful demonstration of the H2H Concept for Simultaneous Operation (SIMOPS)

The H2H Concept for Simultaneous Operation (SIMOPS) was demonstrated as an online event on the 23rd of March 2021. During the event, both the technical solution and results from the demonstration were presented by Kongsberg Seatex. In addition, SINTEF Digital presented their views on introducing wireless 5G technology in maritime applications.  

Here is the link to the recording: https://player.vimeo.com/video/529215602

Demonstration of the H2H concept for simultaneous operation.

The H2H concept will assist in controlling vessels that need to operate in close proximity to each other. This could include hull to hull distances of a few meters or decimetres, or even with hull to hull contact.

We have utilized the H2H concept on two vessels in Trondheimsfjorden Test Area for Autonomous Vessels, and we would like to share the results.

We are therefore arranging an online demonstration on March 23^rd, 09:30 - 11:00 CET.

This will be an online event on Zoom showing the use of H2H in a simultaneous operation between the vessels Ocean Space Lab and Ocean Space Drone 1.

Registration for the event.

The first demonstration with the Hull to Hull concept was performed on inland waterways in November 2020, this was an online event. The next two demonstrations, with auto-mooring and simultaneous operation, were planned to take place in February this year, also as online events. However, weather conditions, as well as Covid-19 restrictions, have delayed the preparations. The online demonstration events therefore need to be postponed. New dates will be reported here as soon as the activities have been re-planned.

18th of February 2021: Demonstration of H2H concept for an auto mooring operation with Blue Line Logistics vessel Zulu 4. 

The intelligent Dock Locking System (iDL) demonstration will happen in Mol-Belgium on the 18th of February 2021. The day is split into two parts; first part, a presentation about the day's schedule, project and equipment will be detailed. The second part is reserved for demonstration. Due to the COVID-19, the event will be online and the audience will see the Zulu 4 vessel sailing and approximating the quay with the iDL system installed on the deck, the vessel will position in the quay and the iDLs are activated and the auto mooring procedures can perform.  

Success criteria for the demonstration is to perform a safe auto mooring operation with use of H2H system components.

Demonstration of the H2H concept for simultaneous operation.

The use of the Hull to Hull (H2H) concept for simultaneous operation will be demonstrated in an online event on 24th of February 2021. 

In this event a vessel will approach and operate in close proximity with another vessel. The H2H system will be used to provide hull to hull distances allowing the captains to ​precisely control the vessels in close distance avoiding collision. 

An invitation with details on how to join the event will be provided here by 10th of February.

GSA User Consultation Platform 2020 (UCP)

On 1^st of December 2020, Kongsberg presented the Hull to hull project in the Maritime and Ocean Monitoring Session in the User Consultation Platform 2020 (UCP) (link: https://www.gsa.europa.eu/user-consultation-platform-2020-ucp).

The User Consultation Platform was organised as part of the EU Space Week.

Successful demonstration of the H2H Concept for Inland Waterways (IWW)

The H2H Concept for Inland Waterways was demontrated as an online event on the 24th of November 2020. During the event, both the technical solution and results from the single-handed sailing and docking operations with the research vessel Cogge were presented. 

Here is the link to the recording: https://www.mech.kuleuven.be/imp/?n=DigitalMedia.H2HDemoRecording

Demonstration of the H2H concept  in Leuven and Mol (Belgium). Due to the COVID-19 virus, the planned dates are tentative.

24th of November: Online demonstration of H2H concept for inland waterways IWW single handed operation

The demonstration of the H2H concept for inland waterways (IWW) will take place at KU Leuven on 24 November 2020 at 14:00 LT. Due to the COVID-19, the event will be on-line. Intelligent Mobile Platforms (IMP) research group of KU Leuven has already conducted live experiments with the H2H system at the Vaart/Leaven in coordination with other partners and the Flemish Waterway. For these experiments, a 1/8 scale model of a CEMT-I class barge (Cogge), its Shore Control Center (SCC), and the components of the H2H system were used. During this online event, the audience will see the videos from these live experiments as well as the results quantifying the impact of the H2H system in IWW.

Success criteria for the demonstration is the safe completion of a straight sailing mission using H2H system components.

More info about the event

4th of February 2021: Demonstration of H2H concept for an auto mooring operation with Blue Line Logistics vessel Zulu 4. 

The intelligent Dock Locking System (iDL) demonstration will happen in Mol-Belgium on the 4th of February 2021. The day is split into two parts; in the morning, a presentation about the day's schedule, project and equipment will be detailed. The afternoon is reserved for demonstration. Due to the COVID-19, the event will be on-line and the audience will see the Zulu 4 vessel sailing and approximating the quay with the iDL system installed on the deck, the vessel will position in the quay and the iDLs are activited and the auto mooring procedures can perform.  

Success criteria for the demonstration is to perform a safe auto mooring operation with use of H2H system components.  

The fourth workshop was held the day after the MTEC/ICMASS 2019 conference. Focus for this workshop was to present the current status on the deliverables H2H Framework and H2H Secure and Safe communication. In addition, we continued the work for the three planned pilots and the overall project schedule and planning for the last running year.

The third workshop was held in Leuven, October 8, 2019. Focus for this workshop was to present the current status of the project and work in more detail with the three planned pilots. 

Hull to hull project partners from KU Leuven, Mampaey, SINTEF Ocean, SINTEF Digital and Kongsberg Seatex behind KU Lueven' Cogge. Cogge is a scale model of a Watertruck+, to be used demonstrating the Hull to hull concept on Inland Waterways.

During the International Maritime Port Technology and Development Conference (MTEC) and the International Conference on Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship (ICMASS) held jointly as MTEC/ICMASS 2019 in Trondheim, November 13^th -14^th 2019, the H2H project distributed the 2nd yearly H2H flyer and presented 4 related papers. The papers and flyers can be found here. All H2H partners were present at the conference and followed up with a workshop next day at SINTEF Ocean's facility at Tyholt.  

4th International Symposium on Autonomous Inland Shipping was organised by KU Leuven and De Vlaamse Waterweg nv and held in Port of Antwerp, Belgium.

Mr. Per Erik Kvam presented the H2H project titled "H2H – leveraging EGNSS for safer maritime navigation".

The presentation can be found here. 

At the Autonomous Ship Technology Symposium in Amsterdam, 25th to 27th of June 2019, the Hull to hull project was represented in presentations by project partners KU Leuven and SINTEF Digital:

• "Demonstration of the Hull-to-Hull project with an unmanned inland ship", Prof Peter Slaets, KU Leuven.
• "Safety for autonomous ships: lessons learned from other domains", Dr Stig Petersen, SINTEF Digital.

The presentations can be found here. 

KONGSBERG Coordinates EU-Funded Project to Enable Autonomous Navigation in Close Proximity, see press release 

The first project workshop will be held on 7th to 9th of May 2018 during the Ocean Week event in Trondheim, Norway. During these days we will promote the H2H project in several presentations at the Ocean Week Conference and have technical project meetings in parallel. Focus will be on defining the user requirements for the planned demonstrations, and further work with the H2H concept.

Mampaey Offshore Industries announced their participation in the H2H project. More information from here.