The drawing in the first article looks fairly much like an Ulstein design.
The second one may be more like a Daman Axe Bow, slightly modified.
Autonomous sailing drone circles antartica.
Another piece of the puzzle is in place; P&I coverage for autonomous vessels:
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/member-focus-autonomous-vessels/
Late to the party, and mea culpa if this has already been addressed. But not sure I have seen any discussion on crew provided maintenance and repairs. It seems whatever the propulsion source is, there is an assumption of it operating autonomously for extended periods with out preventive maintenance. I find if difficult to imagine any engine, associates auxiliaries and machinery not having significant maintenance needs - ashore or afloat.
Also it seem that only real thing being discussed in the automation discussion is navigation. The deck department does significantly more than navigation. Depending on the vessel type there are many and varied jobs associated the the loading, care of, and unloading cargo, and maintaining the cargo equipment and systems.
If an owner pays up to hundreds of millions of dollars for a 20 to 25 yr asset, I am sure they value the time, money and effort put into maintaining that asset. If the current level of maintenance was not valued , it would not be going on.
Most answers to this seem to be some type of extended repair periods, or riding crews of one sort or the other. Just hard to believe those options are that much more efficient than current crew levels to support such a drastic change.
I do think there is a role for a near fully automated bridge, navigation function. I think most of that activity can be automated with a safety watch, alarm system and someone on call. I can see this as a way to reduce some maybe wasted man hours on long sea passages, allowing more down time and work hour management for deck officers.
Nobody is suggesting that you take an existing ship with standard machinery and equipment and just remove the crew.
Likewise, nobody is expecting a large ships in oceanic trade to be sailing autonomously any time soon.
An autonomous ship will not have any crew quarters and all the systems required to sustain any “riding crew” will be gone. Repairs and maintenance will be done in port by shore based personnel and at regular shipyards periods, like most is already. With a crew of 20-22 on a VLCC or large Container ship there isn’t much other than watch keeping that can be done already.
Different means of propulsion is under development and being tested in smaller ships on short routes. Fuel cells and hydrogen is coming, but battery power is NOT a viable option for long voyages. Sails, rotors, kites etc. is only envisaged as auxiliary power.
When will we see the first large ship sailing across the Atlantic or Pacific without a crew onboard?? Maybe 10-15 years is best estimate, but it will take a lot longer before such ships will be common place.
Unless the world has drastically changed in the time since I came ashore, this isn’t even close to true. Heck, bridge watch was pretty close to rest time between work periods.
In some seriousness - on the chemical ship I was on it was a very regular even to have the Captain take the bridge for most of the 8-12 and 12 -4 , to allow the mates to be on deck attending to other things.
Maybe different these days, can’t speak to it either way.
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This is already the case, but it is almost always repair workforce things that have broken. Preventative maintenance is almost exclusively done by the crew and without it, those regular shipyard periods would increase substantially. Say once a year versus once every five.
The realities of the modern shipping industry are that no owner ever wants their vessel to stop for repairs or go off hire. They break even on the purchase of the ship, run her hard, and put her away wet. Repeat until the ship loses its classification and then do it all over again.
I know I’ll get your standard “there are good owners out there” line but from where I sit (engaged in international trade, talking to pilots, riding the bus in and out of terminals talking to other seamen) they are all the same.
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MOL is developing AI based vessel recognision system to enhance situation awareness of watchkeepers and ultimately autonomous operation:
ONE SEA, the industry alliance whose primary aim is to lead the way towards an operating autonomous maritime ecosystem by 2025, has appointed Riku-Pekka Hägg as Chairman of its Management Board:
https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/one-sea-appoints-riku-pekka-hagg-as-chairman-with-mission-to-grow-autonomous-ship-alliance/
Autonomous submarine?
Will China be the the leader in developing autonomous ships?:
This is where the hull of the historic ship Yara Birkeland arrive Brattvåg for outfitting
The unique ship has arrived at Brattvåg for completion.
NEWS
PUBLISHED:09 MAY 2020 21:39 LAST UPDATED:MAY 09, 2020 9:39 PM
- Maria Moe
- 41416182
Yara Birkeland is the first autonomous ship of its kind in the world. It is a fully electric ship with zero emissions, which will maneuver itself without crew on board. The fertilizer manufacturer Yara and Kongsberg Gruppen are behind the ship. Yara’s goal is to transport fertilizer between its factory on Herøya and the ports of Brevik and Larvik at sea. This should replace 100 daily trips by trailer. This means reduced noise levels, lower dust emissions and reduced NOx and CO₂ emissions.
The hull of the ship was set at sea in Romania in February, and the shipyard Vard Brattvåg arrived on Saturday.
Kristin Nordal in Yara says that the ship will now be equipped with machinery and control systems and tested before being delivered from Vard. This will happen within six months.
After delivery, a limited crew will be tested over a two-year period before becoming fully autonomous.
Sunnmørsposten wants an open and factual debate. All posts are checked after publishing. We reserve the right to shorten, edit and remove posts.
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I wonder who would sign up for a job that will eventually be eliminated?
Good question.
You cant predict the rate of change so you cant know if any career will last a working lifetime these days.
Other than a Prostitute I cant think of many jobs that couldnt be mechanised/automated?
Lets make the list…
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Someone who wants a job for two years, time in grade, experience and a paycheck I imagine or does a third mate or AE think they’re taking the job forever instead of as a stepping stone?
Are jobs in the Maritime industry in the US guaranteed for life(??)
I was of the impression that “going to the hall” to get your next job was still the norm for large segments.
I don’t know now, but last time I worked for a US company the contract was 2 years. (But subject to conditions)
Besides, the Yara Birkeland will not be equipped with living quarters for crew to live on board.
Since she will be used on a VERY short route between two or three fixed ports (Herøya. Brevik and Larvik) the sailing time will be minimal, so the crew will work shifts and live at home.
Temporary facilities will be available for the time she will be manned.
Ok you bunch of legalists. My point is seafarers would be working for and supporting the ultimate demise of thier own careers, not just the job onboard the Yara.
Here’s to hoping someone crosses some wires before they’re fired and the thing steers itself onto a beach.
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Not likely. The people that will man this vessel initially MAY get the jobs to sit in the operation control room ashore when they are no longer needed on onboard.
One good thing; there will not be any engineers required, since there are no engines, so none to be made redundant.
PS> Mooring and unmooring will be automated- No chipping and painting on the voyage, so no deck crew required either.
Don’t know about stevedores, but loading/unloading will be by automated gantry cranes:
Opening/closing of hatches will not be required, since this is a hatchless ship.
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