Safety and Technology: Autonomous Ferries in Stockholm Ports

Project Manager

Stockholm Ports in collaboration with the Swedish Research Institute (RISE), Norwegian shipping company Torghatten ASA, technology provider Zeabuz, ship classification and certification company Det Norske Veritas Sweden (DNV) and marine transport company Vattenbussen AB.

Project description

The innovation and research project “Policy Lab Urban Zjöfart” assesses the safety of maritime mobility with remotely operated ferries. This project started in 2023 and will run until February 2025, with funding of around SEK 200,000 from the Swedish Transport Agency.

The project uses a ferry located in Riddarfjärden, between Södermalm and Kungsholmen, as a real example and case study. The insights gained will help uncover policy-related challenges to the autonomous operation of these vessels. Crucial information to make the transition from manned ferries to autonomous ferries, implementing a remotely monitored and controlled service from a control room.

The innovative element of the project lies in the fact that the autonomous operation of the ferries allows for greater frequency and punctuality in services, significantly improving operational efficiency and the experience of travelers, especially cyclists and pedestrians, who mainly value the periodicity of the service.

The role of the Ports of Stockholm in the project is to collaborate in the testing and development of the safety aspects of autonomous ferries. The knowledge gained in the project will be assessed in the context of the ongoing international policy work of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Maritime Safety Association (EMSA).

This project not only aims to transform the urban mobility of the city of Stockholm, but also to position it as a leader in technological innovation and sustainability in the field of maritime transport. Data collection and safety assessment will inform international and European policies on maritime mobility, strengthening Stockholm’s commercial and regulatory position in the international arena.

Project objectives

The project seeks to evaluate and develop safety aspects in autonomous maritime public transport. Using a remotely manned ferry in Riddarfjärden as a model, the aim is to obtain data that will allow the development of a safe and responsible service in relation to current regulations.

The role of Stockholm Ports in the project is to research and collaborate in the testing and development of the safety aspects of innovative autonomous ferries. This is fully in line with the strategy that Stockholm Ports and the city itself are developing together, where urban maritime transport research and development is an area of interest to strengthen Stockholm’s commercial and regulatory position in the international arena, contributing to the creation of new sustainable mobility services.