Asia/Pacific News
Autonomous Ship Project in First Sea Trial
An unmanned box ship has completed its first voyage.
Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) said that the successful port-to-port sea trial happened across the Sea of Japan on 24 to 25 January, according to the company.
The sea trial forms part of the unmanned ship project led by the Nippon Foundation.
The trial was conducted with a coastal containership. A coastal car ferry will also be used "to develop versatile technologies by identifying similarities and differences between the two ship types".
In addition, mooring tests were undertaken using a drone.
Coastal car ferry Sunflower Shiretoko, which is owned by MOL Ferry, will undertake the next trial.
Once realised, autonomous vessels will theoretically have a lower bunker consumption than the equivalent manned vessels as they will not need to expend energy on human life support systems such heating and lighting.
