The Autonomous Ship Revolution: Shaping the Future of Maritime Navigation
In a ground-breaking achievement, a cargo tanker off the Norwegian coast navigated a 13-hour journey without human intervention last year. This remarkable test was part of AUTOSHIP, an EU-funded program pioneering new technologies for large vessel navigation.
Navigating the Path to Autonomy
The consortium behind AUTOSHIP brings together experts from academia and industry, including Kongsberg Maritime. This Norwegian giant has been investing significantly in research and development of autonomous shipping technologies.
Markus Laurinen, growth and solutions director at Kongsberg Maritime, believes that autonomous shipping and remote operating centers are on the horizon, but external factors like customer trust and regulatory approvals will influence their adoption.
“We’re taking a step-by-step approach, gradually moving functions to remote operating centers. This allows stakeholders to adapt to the significant transformation that’s taking place,” Laurinen told LA News Center.
“This affects a wide range of entities, including freight owners, ship owners, operators, regulatory bodies, and technology development organizations.”
Conquering Regulatory Barriers
Ville Vihervaara, Kongsberg Maritime’s VP of remote and autonomous solutions, highlights that gaining acceptance from national and global maritime regulators is a major obstacle for the adoption of autonomous shipping.
“It depends heavily on how quickly different countries and maritime authorities will allow unmanned vessels at sea.”
Pushing the Boundaries of Autonomy
Trials like those conducted by Kongsberg aim to sway decision-makers. However, they’re not the only ones pushing the boundaries.
South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industry (SHI) has also made significant progress, retrofitting one of its Samsung T-8 vessels with automated technology in 2020.
“We successfully completed a 10km journey at Geoje Island without any human involvement,” said a SHI spokesperson. “Our team is currently implementing autonomous navigation technology on several large and small vessels.”
Levels of Autonomy
Much like self-driving cars, ships operate under varying degrees of autonomy. The International Maritime Organization defines four levels:
- Level 1: Seafarers remain on board, but certain functions are automated.
- Level 2: Seafarers monitor and oversee automated systems.
- Level 3: Ships operate autonomously in normal conditions, but human intervention is required in emergency situations.
- Level 4: Complete autonomy, enabling the ship to operate without human intervention.
Significant challenges remain before ships can achieve level four autonomy.
Charting the Road Ahead
The U.K. Hydrographic Office is developing standards for machines to read its graphs, a critical step for autonomous navigation. “Autonomous technology faces unique challenges because the hazards are hidden beneath the sea’s surface,” explained Leo McLeman, business development manager at the institution.
“Machines must understand context, particularly in busy waters near land, where they encounter numerous vessels and infrastructure like offshore wind farms. This raises questions about how machines will navigate these obstacles and determine priority on a route.”
Safety Considerations
Questions linger about how autonomous or remotely controlled ships will handle collisions or other hazardous incidents at sea.
“Learning from mistakes in a cargo ship environment can be costly and dangerous,” said J.C. Renshaw, head of supply chain consulting at Savills North America. “Human intervention is necessary to allow technology to learn without endangering lives or cargo.”
Renshaw also highlights piracy concerns, particularly around the Horn of Africa. Autonomous ships would minimize the risk to human life in the event of an attack, but freight owners may have reservations about sending their precious cargo through risky waters without human oversight.
The Role of Startups
While industry giants like Kongsberg Maritime and Samsung Heavy Industry lead the charge in autonomous shipping development, startups are positioning themselves to play a role. However, Kaitlyn Glancy, a partner at VC firm Eclipse, believes it may be challenging for startups to compete with these larger players.
Glancy identifies opportunities for startups in optimizing port infrastructure through digitization and automation. Technologies like sensors and AI can improve efficiency and reduce transit times.
“The biggest opportunities lie in optimizing domestic infrastructure. Once a large cargo vessel arrives at a port, how can we get those containers onto truck beds and out to delivery as quickly as possible?” Glancy said.
“That’s where startups can make a valuable contribution to the autonomous shipping landscape.”
As the industry embraces autonomous technologies, it faces exciting prospects and challenges. Industry giants, startups, and regulatory bodies will collaborate to shape the future of maritime navigation, ensuring safety, efficiency, and a sustainable future for the seas.
