On August 14, Igor Shevchuk, the Executive Director of FSUE “Rosmorport”, presented the work of the enterprise's innovative ferries, which connect the Kaliningrad Region with the main part of Russia in a remote mode, to honored guests at the Unmanned Systems: Technologies of the Future International Forum in Skolkovo.

Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Maksim Oreshkin, Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation Andrey Nikitin, and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Anton Alikhanov visited the stand of the Ministry of Transport of Russia, where models of two autonomous eco-ferries, Marshal Rokossovsky and General Chernyakhovsky, are showcased. These ferries have been operating on the strategic route Seaport of Ust-Luga - Seaport of Kaliningrad since 2022, and in 2023, they became the first ferries in Russia to receive certificates as maritime autonomous and remotely controlled surface vessels.

“While installing the remote control systems on the ferries, we utilized the knowledge that our enterprise had gained during numerous experiments on our vessels. Since 2023, we have acquired immense experience: the ferries have successfully transported 2 million tons of cargo and have traveled over 200,000 nautical miles. This allows us to confidently assert that autonomous navigation has a bright future,” Igor Shevchuk stated.

The ferries are operated by external captains from the Remote Control Center (RCC) in St. Petersburg. Kamil Diyarov, captain of General Chernyakhovsky ferry, demonstrated to exhibition attendees how this process worked using a simulator from the Russian University of Transport (MIIT), which trains specialists in a-Navigation and e-Navigation.

The unique software complex, presented by the university at the booth of the Ministry of Transport of Russia during the forum, was developed under the order of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia for training navigators, crews of vessels with manual and autonomous control, operators of the Vessel Traffic System (VTS), and personnel of the RCC.

Currently, 40 employees of FSUE “Rosmorport”, including all crew members of the autonomous ferries, have undergone training on the simulator.

“At the RCC, we have captain-operators who have received certificates for advanced training. Meanwhile, there is also a crew on board the ferries for safety, ready to take control in emergency situations,” Kamil Diyarov explained.

FSUE “Rosmorport” will continue to develop this area, enhancing the effectiveness of transportation and the safety of navigation, Igor Shevchuk emphasized. For example, by the end of this year, a similar system will have been adopted by the bilge water removing ship Koporye, which processes waste from vessels in the seaport of Ust-Luga.

The Unmanned Systems: Technologies of the Future International Forum is being held in Moscow for the first time on the initiative of President of Russia Vladimir Putin. The event, taking place at the Skolkovo innovation center from August 7 to 17, unites leading experts, developers, manufacturers, representatives from scientific and educational organizations, and government bodies in the field of unmanned aviation and robotic systems.