Last Friday, a remote-controlled ship sailed on the Walloon river network for the first time. The Novandi 2, a 110-meter-long cargo vessel, departed from Oupeye on the Albert Canal for its maiden voyage and was waved off by the Walloon Minister of Mobility and Infrastructure, François Desquesnes (Les Engagés).
The remote control system, installed by tech provider Seafar, had previously been tested in Flanders, but never in Wallonia. It makes it possible to address the staff shortage, particularly of captains, caused by the difficult conditions of the profession.
‘Quality of life”
“With this technology, the profession can offer eight hours of office work per day. It improves the captain’s quality of life by fostering a better work-life balance,” explains Cyrielle Böttcher, Project Director at Novandi, the company that owns the boat.
The Novandi 2 is equipped with cameras and sensors, for example, allowing certain parameters to be monitored from the control centers in Antwerp and Charleroi, where the captains work.
Not unmanned
The cameras are used for 360° situational awareness, and the sensors control engine, navigation, and environment. In some cases, all this technology is better than human eyesight on board. Fatigue is also a significant accident factor, but it is now excluded.
Even when the ship is controlled remotely, there are always helmsmen and sailors present on board for safety reasons and to ensure specific missions and the smooth operation of the boat. If necessary, they can intervene manually.
Test phases
During the first phase of the test project, the ship will make the connection between Kanne and Oupeye. Later, the Novandi 2 must pass Liège and will face urban navigation.
After that, it will cover longer stretches and pass locks, such as the Grands-Malades lock on the Namur section. The project is politically supported by François Desquennes, who granted a legal exemption to sail without a captain on board.
The final phase enables testing under more complex and more stressful navigation conditions – high currents, low visibility, and night trips.
Early adopter
In Flanders, remote-controlled inland shipping has been tested and used for several years. Flanders is considered an early adopter and a European frontrunner. The technology is more mature and already integrated into port logistics chains. However, it is still mostly remote-assisted, not fully autonomous.
In other European countries, the technology is also advancing, though it remains fragmented. The Netherlands has one of the most advanced inland automation ecosystems and focuses on high-traffic waterways.
Germany already uses semi-autonomous and remote-assisted vessels, with a strong focus on decision-support systems and AI-assisted navigation. Norway is more advanced in fully autonomous ships, but mostly coastal/sea, not inland. France only has early-stage pilots on rivers (Seine and Rhône), but the technology is less mature than in Belgium and the Netherlands.
Safer and better return on investment
However, companies are pushing this because there is a significant business impact. The biggest driver is crew shortage. The workforce is aging, and becoming a captain means long weeks away from home and irregular working hours.
Remote-controlled navigation makes the job far more attractive, given office-based work and fixed shifts. So, more young people are motivated for the job.
Another advantage is the shift in cost structure: in the future, one captain can supervise multiple vessels. Furthermore, a smaller onboard crew is needed – or none. Also, higher asset utilization enables shift-based crews to operate 24/7. As a result, return on investment is better on remotely controlled vessels.
