23.2.2023
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
L 58/1539 PREPARATORY ACTIONS
CHAPTER PA 02 — EUROPEAN STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS (cont'd) PA 02 22
(cont'd)
PA 02 22 02
Preparatory action — EU Space Data for autonomous vessels in Inland waterways Figures (Differentiated appropriations) Appropriations 2023 Commitments
p.m.
Appropriations 2022
Payments
455 000
Commitments
2 000 000
Outturn 2021
Payments
Commitments
Payments
500 000
Remarks This appropriation is intended to cover commitments remaining to be settled from previous years under the preparatory action.
The inland waterways transport is changing benefitting from emerging technologies that lead to a safer, digital and more sustainable sector.
Autonomous vessel operations will open new business opportunities, as well as new challenges, supporting the digitalisation and sustainability challenges of the Union.
EU Space Data from Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus will be key enablers of this transformation, by facilitating reliable and robust positioning information and harmonised images of the fairways and environment, needed for safe and green autonomous operations.
The need for highly accurate, resilient positioning is agreed for operations like: navigation in narrow fairways, bridge passing, waterways locks, auto-mooring and simultaneous berthing operations.
Further automation (with no human in the loop) would welcome additional features that will be provided by Galileo differentiators, not leveraged yet, such as authentication and integrity in the position.
The definition of autonomous operation may rely on robust images of the area to be navigated.
Today, operators and manufacturers rely on diverse sources of such data that lead to a non-harmonised approach.
However, Copernicus images will ensure a homogeneous Union approach, supporting the safe integration of simultaneous autonomous operations as well as integration with manned traffic.
The preparatory action shall be focused on: — attendance to existing working groups addressing solutions for autonomous vessels, including different public/ private platforms and interviewing key industrial stakeholders, such as shipping associations, port operators, relevant maritime and inland waterways authorities; — contribution to standardisation work within CESNI (Comité Européen pour l’Élaboration de Standards dans le Domaine de Navigation Intérieure); — identification of the user requirements for the safe navigation in inland waterways where autonomous, remotely piloted and manually piloted vessels will co-exist; — definition of concept of operations and positioning performance needs for different operations of autonomous vessels; — identification of main challenges to be overcome to ensure safe operation and resilient positioning; — identification and analysis of the technical and regulatory barriers (e.g. lack of standards and regulation), industry value chain and new business models that could emerge in inland waterways navigation taking advantage of the three-dimensional synergies between satellite-based navigation, imagery and telecom;