http://gcaptain.com/2018-state-maritime/
This article got me wondering if there a meeting point between the growing size of container ships and the move toward autonomous ships. An unsolved problem with autonomous ships centers around their movement from sea buoy or pilot transfer area to final docking. This is assuming there is enough depth in channels and pier side to accommodate their increasing draft. Several ports are dredging to address this problem but as the size of UULCVs continues to grow, the problem will persist. The next logical choke point will be port infrastructure such as channel widths and turning basins, many of which are already tight.
Why not start planning the adoption of lightering practices used with ULCCs?
i.e. anchor offshore and use smaller manned ships or barge units to deliver the containers to their final destination.