Hamburg consortium launches pioneering research project on the integration of autonomous systems in port operations

16 Jan 2026 10:25 Digitalisation

With the official kick-off of the research project iPORTUS, Hamburg Port Authority (HPA), together with the Fraunhofer Center for Maritime Logistics and Services (CML) and Kongsberg Maritime Germany GmbH, marks a significant milestone on the path towards the digitalisation and automation of port operations. The aim of the project is the safe integration of semi-autonomous and remotely monitored, low-emission waterborne vehicles (Autonomous Surface Vessels, ASVs) into complex port environments. iPORTUS is funded with approximately EUR 1.7 million by the German Federal Ministry for Transport (BMV) under the IHATEC II funding programme.

The project focuses on ensuring nautical safety and cyber security, developing a high degree of autonomy for the deployed systems, and integrating them into a remote operations centre (ROC). In addition, the project seeks to establish regulatory foundations for approval procedures and economic decision-making, thereby enabling the future routine operation of autonomous watercraft in German ports.

The project is supported by a number of associated partners, including the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), the Free and Hanseatic City of Bremen, represented by bremenports and Niedersachsen Ports, as well as HafenCity University Hamburg (HCU).

An initial key milestone has already been defined: on 26 January 2026, the first consortium and working meeting will take place at Fraunhofer CML, where the project partners will set the central technical and organisational course for the coming months.

“With iPORTUS, we are setting a milestone for the safe integration of semi-autonomous systems into port operations. The project not only delivers technological innovations, but also creates the regulatory foundations for deploying these technologies in Germany,” says Benjamin Blanck, Project Manager in the Research & Development department at HPA.

“Furthermore, the implementation of iPORTUS strengthens trust in maritime autonomy: we equip ASVs to withstand cyberattacks, validate them in port operations, and translate the results into approvable operating models – a tangible contribution to digitalisation and decarbonisation,” adds Lennart Grambow, Research Associate at Fraunhofer CML.

“As a leading technology company, we are delighted to contribute to this forward-looking topic and to successfully transfer the technology into operational deployment. In doing so, we make an important contribution to digital transformation and lay the foundation for sustainable innovations that deliver long-term added value for our customers and partners,” says Olaf Lautenschläger, Team Lead Projects at Kongsberg Maritime Germany GmbH.