The Europe Commission’s functional (EN IEC 62061) and control (EN ISO 13849) safety standards, and, in particular, the Machinery Directive have increased the safety demands placed on marine systems and applications. These requirements apply equally to software components. All related marine equipment, such as access points, bulkhead or tailboard controls, as well as conveying machinery, cranes, and dredging vessels must comply with these increased standards. This is particularly the case for offshore drilling and extraction platforms, where the most stringent requirements are placed on protecting people, equipment, and the environment. For example, danger to persons must be eliminated in the hazardous area of hydraulic pipe handling arms.

Under Maritime 4.0, big data will check in on large ships within commercial shipping. While Industry 4.0 continues to adopt specific forms for process automation, the first cyber-physical systems and cloud-based network structures, which will ultimately optimize maritime operations, still have a long way to go before they are ready for sea travel. It is primarily German maritime equipment suppliers that are convinced Maritime 4.0 will enable them to achieve enormous gains in commercial shipping efficiency. Is this merely a rosy outlook on the part of German industry? After all, they lead the global list of suppliers according to VDMA statistics. What does big data actually offer the maritime sector, and what new challenges are linked to these massive data sets?

With increased digitization and networking aboard ships, the risk for data abuse and cybercrime also increases. Anyone considering the possibilities of Maritime 4.0 must also consider the increased requirements for IT security – and more importantly, find suitable solutions for implementing it.

In the Marine Industry, the impact of equipment failure is a uniquely specialized event. Ships at sea, unlike shore-bound physical plants, do not have the luxury of local maintenance and repair operations onboard and must instead carry their own troubleshooting solutions with them. Because of this, what might have been perceived as a small or temporary risk on shore may be perceived as a much more serious concern in the open water.

Crewless ships instead of the romantic notion of a sailor? Initiatives for autonomous ships are driving this development. However, the path from the engine room, which can currently operate for a maximum of 24 hours without direct intervention, to an autonomous ship, which should be able to operate for up to six weeks without human intervention, is still long. WAGO’s redundancy concept for controllers is shortening this path and offers a solution for compensating for faults occurring in the automation systems and for ensuring the continued operation of technical systems.

At 100 meters long and equipped with engines providing tens of thousands of HP, the yacht represents a new high in design and commissioning for the Bremer Lürssen shipyard. The firm is the world leader in constructing mega yachts up to 60 meters in length. The automation system was designed, planned,and realized by besecke, a subsidiary of the Lürssen shipyard. The long-time specialist for ship automation relied on 125 WAGO ETHERNET controllers (750-881/882).

The stability of mobile cranes on land is comparatively easy to ensure; a suitable counterweight is set based on the load, and a few minutes later, hydraulic supports extend several meters out for balance. However, it is commonplace that bulky and especially heavy loads are usually transported via water to their destinations. This raises the question as to how stability is ensured for onboard cranes – water is known as an unstable surface. Systems made of pumps, valves and ballast tanks hold cargo and commercial ships upright. Often called “heeling pumps,” these systems prevent listing of the ship’s body in the case of unevenly distributed loads. To control them, the specialists at BESI rely on PFC200 Controllers from WAGO, in combination with the I/O-SYSTEM 750 for Ex and Non-Ex areas.

Embedded in a stunning, idyllic mountain setting, Lake Lucerne provides a traditional atmosphere with its fjord-like straights and winding inlets. Right in the middle of this beauty is a daily shipping route bearing tourists between Lucerne and other popular travel destinations, like Weggis and Bürgenstock. While it may sound less than idyllic, it actually boasts an intruiging eco-friendly twist. The MS Bürgenstock, the new motorized vessel belonging to the Lake Lucerne Navigation Company (SGV), sports a quiet and fuel-efficient hybrid drive. Aventics, a specialist of hybrid drive controls in ships headquartered in Laatzen, ensures optimum control between the electric motors and diesel engines. Several years ago, Aventics expanded their solutions by using the WAGO-I/O-SYSTEM 750.

In the film, “Tomorrow Never Dies”, terrorists divert a military ship from its course by manipulating the GPS signals. What was part of the fantasy world of British filmmakers in 1997 – the theatrical release date for the eighteenth James Bond movie – is a real threat a mere 20 years later. “GPS spoofing”, as it is known to the experts, is real, and researchers from the University of Texas provided impressive proof in 2013 when they diverted an $80 million dollar luxury yacht from its course without its crew noticing. What is wrong with IT security in the maritime industry? Ship builders, system integrators and shipping companies are enthusiastic about the new opportunities that Maritime 4.0 offers. To find out if the sector ready for this, and what still needs to be done, we spoke with Professor Karl-Heinz Niemann from the University of Hannover.

Efficiency, sustainability and safety define the maritime sector in practically every area – only the perspectives are changing due to the use of advanced digital networks. From the shipbuilder through the system integrator up to the shipowner and the classification societies: By attentively listening to these different maritime groups, it quickly becomes apparent that the focus is not only about saving fuel – maritime shipping is curr ently undergoing major structural changes.

TTS Marine from Gothenburg is widely regarded as the world’s top provider of stern and bow ramps, movable car decks, door systems, freight elevators and gangways for ships and ferries. In conjunction with WAGO, the Swedish company is developing a new control system for cargo doors and gangways. The solution’s open design is focused on maximum operating safety, and its modular structure will be ready for modernizations, updates and expansions.

While general cargo and container ships can easily count and add up the loads connected to their cargos for effective load management, precise level measuring devices are required for tankers. Krohne Marine from Norway is considered one of the global experts in this field, with more than 50 years of experience in designing load-monitoring and management systems for tankers. Krohne is using standardized control technology from WAGO in their new generation of “Cargomaster” systems, and replacing their proprietary electronics.

Certified safe and reliable: with approvals from KC, UL508, and, in particular, GL, the WAGO-I/O-SYSTEM 750 XTR is well equipped for applications in the maritime industry.

Whether it’s a luxury yacht, a cruiser or a specialty ship – diesel-electric drive systems provide great benefits wherever electrical energy consumption is high. This is one of the core competencies of SAM Electronics. The company specializes in marine electrical and electronic systems. In designing innovative drive solutions, the Hamburg-based company relies on the flexibility and reliability of WAGO’s I/O system.

Diesel engines are currently at the center of environmental debates – not only in the auto industry, but also in maritime shipping. This is because ocean-going vessels can generate substantial amounts of environmentally damaging pollutants. The nitrogen oxides (NOx) created specifically during the combustion of diesel fuels are considered hazardous to human health, as they can damage the respiratory tract and the cardiovascular system. Göteborgs Energy Systems AB (GESAB) manufactures systems with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) for use in diesel engines in larger ships. As a result, nitrogen oxide emissions are substantially reduced.