The next generation of seafarers will need an expanded set of digital skills and capabilities, for which they are currently not trained. This will require adaptation by maritime colleges, including new staff, and it also calls for “on the job” training curricula to train current crews in new skills.
This goes beyond the establishment of new standards. A whole new range of training, trainers and competencies needs to be developed early on, to ensure that trained crews are available once these highly digitalised ships come into service.
Development Area
Skills & Industry
Skills & Industry
Acceptance
Smart shipping calls for new skills, both in education and within the current workforce. These new skills involve knowledge of the design and construction of smart shipping systems and the skills of operating smart ships and their supporting infrastructure.
More information?
Contact
2021
2030
Short sea (coastal) shipping is important to north-west Europe, and to the Netherlands in particular. Both regional transportation of goods in Europe and the redistribution of cargo from large ocean liners is performed by short sea ships. Many short sea ships are built at Dutch shipyards, and various large ship-owning companies own and operate large fleets of these vessels and operate them within European waters and beyond.
Awareness of crew-shortage
Availability of IT-integrators in maritime sector
New skills requirements for seafarers
New STCW standards
Training the seafarers
2021
2030
The Dutch ferries service sector is considered an important mode of passenger transport, mainly on inland waterways and at sea. Ferries are therefore an important link between the shore and the water for commuters, schoolchildren and recreational users. Most of these ferries are built at Dutch shipyards and are operated by public operators as well as private companies. The goal is to have an inland ferry fleet by 2030 for which autonomous sailing is no longer an unknown factor; a sector for which autonomous sailing is normalised and consequently safer and more efficient in its operations.
Autonomy and jobs
Skill requirements for shore control centres
Availability of IT integrators in the maritime sector
Skilled crew for shore control centre
2021
2030
Inland cargo shipping refers to the transport of goods on inland waterways in the Netherlands and across our borders. In 2030, inland shipping is to have reached a level of automation described as “Human-Assisted Autonomy” (stage 3 in IMO, level 4 in CCR). We expect 25% of the total Dutch fleet of inland ships to have reached this level of automation by 2030.
Critical attitude towards smart shipping
New skills requirements for shore control centre personnel
Transition of tasks and responsibilities: monitoring instead of operating
IT and digital capabilities of the (refit/repair) shipyards
2021
2030
Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) are perhaps the most visible smart shipping applications to date in the Netherlands. Several developers of USVs and USV technology are commercially successful in the Netherlands, and various dredging and offshore instruction companies in the Netherlands are already starting to use USVs in their daily operation.
In the context of this roadmap, we define USVs as small vessels (<20 m for inland vessels, <24 m for seagoing vessels). Unmanned Surface Vessels are, as the name implies, not equipped for the carriage of people, so small autonomous ferries are not meant in this sense. Ferries have their own challenges and different market drivers, which are described in the inland ferry use case.
Although a lot of USV technology is developed and used in a military context, this roadmap focuses on civilian applications of USVs.
Create and maintain positive image of smart shipping
Establish skills requirements for USV operators
Availability of IT integrators in maritime sector
New STCW standards and shifting responsibilities
2021
2030
Under construction