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The Future of Autonomous Shipping: From Coastal Routes to Urban Logistics

global trade autonomous
Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, News, Ocean Ports

The Future of Autonomous Shipping: From Coastal Routes to Urban Logistics

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The concept of crewless ships navigating coastlines, inland waterways, and even the high seas is no longer confined to science fiction. At a recent CONNECTING PORTS talk show hosted by HPC Hamburg Port Consulting (HPC), experts gathered to discuss the emerging reality of autonomous shipping, highlighting how this technology is gradually becoming part of modern logistics.

Read also: Eventual Autonomous Shipping Faces Considerable Hurdles 

Moderated by Christina Prieser, Associate Partner at HPC, the forum featured insights from three industry leaders: Ørnulf Jan Rødseth, General Manager of the Norwegian Forum for Autonomous Ships (NFAS); Marc Holstein, Head of the Remote Operation Center at SEAFAR in Antwerp; and Antoon van Collie, CEO of ZULU Associates.

Rødseth shared Norway’s pioneering steps in semi-autonomous shipping, including the world’s first semi-autonomous container ship, which has been transporting goods since spring 2022. This vessel operates with minimal crew and is remotely controlled, showcasing the practical application of autonomous technology in coastal services.

Holstein highlighted the deployment of SEAFAR’s technology on over forty vessels, primarily in inland shipping. He emphasized the seamless integration of crew-reduced and remotely controlled ships into existing infrastructure, particularly in Belgium. Meanwhile, van Collie discussed France’s progress in allowing autonomous ships in its waters, with plans to operate unmanned vessels by next year.

The discussion also touched on the potential for autonomous vessels in urban logistics. In cities like New York and Paris, small autonomous ships are already being used to transport goods, with some vessels even powered by hydrogen. Van Collie sees this model expanding to other cities, such as Hamburg and Berlin.

Looking ahead, Norway’s ASKO plans to replace road transport with two battery-powered, semi-autonomous ro-ro ships by 2026, reducing road traffic and infrastructure needs. The experts agreed that remote control increases operational safety, with shorter, more manageable shifts for captains onshore compared to traditional seafaring roles.

As the possibilities for autonomous shipping continue to take shape, it is clear that this technology is set to revolutionize the logistics and transportation industries, offering safer, more efficient, and environmentally friendly solutions.

The full session Connecting Ports #08 is available on YouTube Connecting Ports | Session #8 | Navigating Next: The Path to Autonomous Maritime Transport (youtube.com)

The next session of Connecting Ports will take place on 5 September 2024. It will focus on an urgent industry topic: cybersecurity challenges in ports. Secure your seats now, as registration is still open: Connecting Ports – HPC Hamburg Port Consulting GmbH

global trade autonomous
Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, International Trade

Eventual Autonomous Shipping Faces Considerable Hurdles 

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Autonomous transport technologies first began with driving and flying. Drones have worked exceptionally well while driving continues to improve. Autonomous shipping is similar in terms of technology and mechanics, but building trust among regulators and freight owners has proven to be a significant stumbling block to widespread adoption. 

Read also: World’s First Official Test Bed for Autonomous Shipping Opens in Norway

AUTOSHIP (Autonomous Shipping Initiative for European Waters) is an EU-funded initiative that triumphantly operated an autonomous ship from the coast of Norway last year for a nearly 13-hour journey. The expedition itself was a success, but there wasn’t cargo or much else at risk. South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industry (SHI) performed a similar feat in 2020 when the Samsung T-8 vessel performed an autonomous journey at Geoje Island, much of it guided via sensor and radar technology. 

Like autonomous driving, the International Maritime Organization has defined four levels of maritime autonomy. Level 1 still involves seafarers on board to control and operate ship functions, while some minor operations can be automated. Eventually, the ship moves to Level 4, with no seafarers on board and no remote control. At Level 4, the vessel makes decisions and determines actions on its own. 

Context is by far the biggest challenge for machines. Once vessels enter busier waters or are closer to land, other vessels, infrastructure such as offshore wind farms, and similar obstacles emerge. Even at sea, there are a host of hidden hazards that humans are adept at navigating, but it is still unknown whether a machine can successfully avoid collisions. 

The 13-hour AUTOSHIP voyage was a success, but learning in real-time with real cargo can be dangerous and costly. Another timely issue in the current geopolitical context is piracy. While freight owners would undoubtedly prefer a crew-less ship in the event of a pirate attack, they would likely not risk their cargo being commandeered in the first place through risky waters without humans onboard to oversee the voyage. 

Tech players who are common in the autonomous driving sector have a difficult time competing with larger firms like Kongsberg Maritime (a partner with AUTOSHIP) and Samsung Heavy Industry in the maritime sector. Most of the maritime technological breakthroughs are occurring in improving port infrastructure through automation and digitization. Freight owners and operators are rightly concerned about how quickly ports can get containers off the vessels and onto truck beds instead of navigating sea lanes without human intervention. 

SmartMove Suite
Archives, Dispatches, Global Trade Daily, Ocean Carriers

FROM FLYING CARS TO SEMI-AUTONOMOUS SHIPPING

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Buffalo, New York-based American Steamship Co. (AMS) has placed the first order for Wärtsilä Voyage’s SmartMove Suite that takes “the concept of automated dock-to-dock operations to the next level.” This news recently made an appearance in our latest Dispatches edition along with other up-and-coming innovations in transportation, including GM’s recent unveiling of the Cadillac-branded eVTOL at CES.

Fully retrofittable, the SmartMove Suite can soup-up existing vessels with next-generation capabilities to improve safety, efficiency, and productivity on the water, according to Wärtsilä Voyage, a Singapore-based subsidiary of Finland’s Wärtsilä. Rand-ASC Holdings LLC is the parent company of AMS, which installed the Wärtsilä SmartMove Suite on its MV American Courage, a self-unloading bulk freighter plying the Great Lakes with a cargo-carrying capacity of 24,300 gross tons.

“This is the largest ship ever capable of performing automated docking and dock-to-dock sailing operations,” according to Wärtsilä Voyage, which notes the technology will come in handy on “the winding, often narrowing Cuyahoga River in Ohio,” which “can be heavily congested, making it by far the most challenging of shipping routes for any vessel using automated sailing and docking technology.”