\n<\/p>\n
Kongsberg already makes autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), which largely carry out seabed mapping tasks for customers in offshore energy, ocean research and defence.<\/p>\n
Recently, the firm delivered an 8m, unmanned surface vessel (USV) that detects fish stocks, using acoustic sonars and navigating by AI, cameras, radar, and GPS.<\/p>\n
“They’re also supervised by humans, who can intervene. But they are fully autonomous,” says Bj\u00f8rn Jalving, Kongsberg’s Senior Vice President of Technology.<\/p>\n
Kongsberg has been scaling up the technology for larger vessels. “Eventually I think limitations will not be technical, it’s a matter of making it safe and secure in compliance with regulations, and good business for the operators,” says Mr Jalving.<\/p>\n
Of course one of the big attractions for shipping firms, is the costs saved by not having a crew aboard. One team could potentially monitor several ships, says Mr Jalving. Plus it’s safer for a crew to be on land, rather than at sea.<\/p>\n
Other companies are also working on autonomous shipping projects.<\/p>\n
Last year in Japan, a 222m car ferry self-navigated and docked, external<\/span><\/a> using technology by Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Company.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, a commercial ship completed a month-long voyage, external<\/span><\/a> from Texas to South Korea, navigating autonomously for about half of the 20,000km route.<\/p>\n The ship’s optimal route choice saved fuel and emissions, according to the ship’s technology provider, Avikus, part of the ship building firm HD Hyundai.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n