FAQ - Interview with Dr. Gesa Ziemer
The Modularis was transported from Flensburg to Bremerhaven in October 2026 – why?
Gesa Ziemer: Our technology platform is being built at two locations. The hull was built at the FSG Shipyard in Flensburg. It already incorporates the engines, all the compartments, the bridge and the optimal hull shape. The technical outfitting and final completion – including energy systems, interior fittings and painting – take place at the Lloyd Werft in Bremerhaven. To this end, the MODULARIS was towed through the Kiel Canal by tugs.
What does the ship’s ‘business model’ look like: do shipowners and other customers come and ask if they can test a particular propulsion system?
Gesa Ziemer: Exactly. It is often component manufacturers or consortia of various partners who wish to further develop, test or demonstrate a technology. In doing so, it is not just a single technology that is examined, but its complete integration into the ship. This also includes, in some cases, auxiliary and monitoring systems, converter technologies and the power management system.
What could be researched in the field of defence?
Gesa Ziemer: In security and defence research, operational scenarios for testing unmanned systems, as well as long-term tests with novel navigation systems – for example, those based on quantum technologies – are conceivable. Furthermore, with its capacity to easily install various antennas and set up additional workstations, the MODULARIS is ideally suited for testing technologies in the fields of communications, situational awareness and electronic warfare. In addition to integrating systems into the ship’s onboard systems, the MODULARIS can also carry any other systems, such as surface and underwater drones and containerised systems, for which we provide power supply. Furthermore, the MODULARIS can be used as a central control element or as part of more complex scenarios.
Who makes up the ship’s crew?
The ship’s crew consists of researchers and technical staff from the DLR. The captains and ship’s engineers are already employed by the DLR and have been involved in the construction of the new platform since the concept design stage. This enables them to contribute their requirements right from the construction phase and ensure the platform’s reliable operation for research purposes. There are also plans to train DLR scientific staff as deckhands and provide them with specialised training for deck duties on the MODULARIS. In this way, we are creating a seamless transition between ship operations and scientific research.
What is the MODULARIS’s area of operation?
Gesa Ziemer: Its main areas of operation will be the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. With its home port in Kiel, the MODULARIS will undertake day trips in the Baltic Sea. It has been designed for coastal voyages of up to seven days without calling at port in Sea Area A1, meaning that voyages as far as the Mediterranean are also possible. With its Ice Class 1A structure, voyages into the northern Baltic Sea are also possible, meaning a wide range of climatic conditions can be accommodated.
What is the budget for its construction?
Gesa Ziemer: The federal government is funding the project – and thus the entire base vessel – with 36 million euros.
What are the dimensions of the technology platform?
Gesa Ziemer: MODULARIS is 48 metres long and 11.5 metres wide. Its draught is 3.20 metres, and its gross tonnage (GT) is 1,052. The size of ships longer than 24 metres is specified in GRT. This is used, for example, to calculate fees for locks, pilots and passage, as well as the amount of tax.
The engines are diesel engines but can also run on non-fossil biodiesel. Furthermore, it is a hybrid system that can also be operated purely electrically using batteries. Is the propulsion system itself the subject of research, or does this refer to the standard propulsion system designed to ensure a safe return journey?
Gesa Ziemer: Both – first and foremost, both the diesel engines and the permanently installed batteries form part of our certified fallback system: during test operations, the MODULARIS is powered entirely by the test components, provided they can supply sufficient power. Should a problem arise with a test component, the propulsion system can be switched over to the batteries within a very short time. Should the failure persist for longer, this allows sufficient time to restart the diesel generators. The MODULARIS thus remains manoeuvrable at all times.
At the same time, even without an additional test propulsion system, the hybrid base system offers the opportunity to conduct research into many relevant topics, such as optimised power management strategies, the actual emissions of various diesel fuels – including non-fossil fuels – and the condition monitoring of the system. Furthermore, the base vessel with its hybrid propulsion system provides us with valuable operational data that we can use for system identification and the validation of our co-simulation platform.
What types of propulsion systems and fuels can be tested, for example?
Gesa Ziemer: In addition to battery systems and bio- and synthetic diesel, the platform is designed for the use of hydrogen, ammonia, LNG and methanol. An extension to include smaller sailing systems is also conceivable.
Does such a vessel already exist, in Germany or anywhere else in the world?
Gesa Ziemer: Our concept of combining a safe base vessel with the modular testing of new technologies is unique worldwide in terms of its scope of functionality.
Will other DLR institutes also use MODULARIS?
Gesa Ziemer: Yes. The DLR Institute for the Protection of Maritime Infrastructure in Bremerhaven will use the vessel and has been involved in defining the requirements since the early concept phase. MODULARIS also meets the needs of other DLR institutes for maritime applications; for example, the Institute for Systems Engineering for Future Mobility in Oldenburg can install a second, digital bridge, which can be used to test autonomous navigation, amongst other things. The Bremerhaven-based institute will primarily use the MODULARIS as a platform for remotely operated and autonomous underwater and surface vessels, as well as for sensor and surveillance systems.