Cameras on all sides and a good mobile phone connection – that's all you need to remotely control a large cargo ship.

The captain is based in Duisburg, and his ship is sailing 400 kilometers away through a canal near Lüneburg: A six-month test is intended to determine whether the technology for remotely controlling inland waterway vessels is mature enough. The Cologne-based shipping company HGK Shipping has received permission for the first time to operate a remotely controlled ship through the Elbe Lateral Canal: the "Niedersachsen 2," for a period of six months.

The technology is considered a promising approach to addressing the acute staff shortage in the industry. While barge operators are currently typically on the road for at least 14 days at a time, ship captains in the remote control center would have a regular office job—and a normal private life after work.

“When recruiting qualified workers, this is an effective lever to increase the attractiveness of the profession,” says Steffen Bauer, head of HGK Shipping.

Other companies are also pursuing a similar approach. The shipping company Rhenus plans to build its own control center for remote control of its fleet by 2030, while also equipping more and more ships with the necessary technology. "We believe this will create more attractive jobs for our ship captains in the future," says Herbert Berger, Managing Director of Rhenus Schiffsmanagement.

Politicians have a strong interest in the project's success. "The fact is that inland waterways are the only mode of transport with spare capacity that we have in Germany," says Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU). The shortage of skilled workers must not hamper this potential.