Actually, they were crap and the Greeks rejected them.
What you should be thinking about is that in ten years most new ships will be semi-autonomous, ie, run by robots. Ten years after that, completely autonomous with fly-in maintenance.
I hope you are wrong sir. We have good mariners to navigate from point a to b. Perhaps a robot can do that from sea bouy to sea bouy. Getting past the sea bouy and to the dock is a whole different animal, I doubt the desk jockey has the skills our mariners have. Nor accept the liability when he/she presses the wrong button on their keyboard. My money is on the real mariners, not the robots or the keyboard captains. It will be interesting when one robot thinks it’s right of way is in the path of the other that seemingly has the same idea. OOPS. Lets just blame Microsoft.
The future of autonomous vessels is here. Maybe not in 10 years but definitely in 50. The technology is possibly, it’s just a matter of changing the regulatory environment. I can picture remote operated vessels becoming a thing first, or possibly manned, but autonomous vessels, further reducing crew size to absolute minimum.
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I actually kind of like this system model and might not mind working in it.
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Fair comment, so some refining of my predict: near-shore and port navigation will probably be human for some time. But planes and subways are already semi-autonomous, trucks next, and cars after. Much of what happens on the water is monotonous and repetitive and vulnerable to robotization.
With a company like SeaMachines even existing US tonnage could potentially become semi-automatous down the road.
I know this isn’t an autonomous ship thread, but if future vessels are built with some of the capabilities of current DP vessels I’d argue they could get to the dock quite efficiently.
I was going counter, but…of course this happened last week.
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So the moral of the story is that while computers can be made infallible, as long as they are programmed/monitored by fallible humans, accidents will happen. Progress marches on but in this, there’s no upside for mariners, just more jobs lost.
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I certainly don’t want to save seagoing jobs. Why would I? Being away from family and civilization, working horrible hours, dangerous work environments. These are 3rd world jobs. Stop romanticizing life at sea. The only reason anyone sails is for a better than average paycheck. Once that’s gone I’m gone.
Hahahaha. . . oh, man. . . did they even consult an experienced engineer?
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A programmer once said “Bullsit in,bullshit out”. Or maybe he wasn’t a programmer. Could have been a mariner, I don’t know, but remember the quote.
I have a different perspective, really liked my last job. Was home enough to enjoy it, and she was ready for me to leave when the work required it. After 40 years of marriage, worked out quite well.
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Yeah, I know what you mean, but the opposite. . . .once I came ashore, it was a bit of a trial getting used to each other. We never really did. . . . and, actually, I am okay with that. I have a better one now. . . .
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As on a couple of other threads the grumps hate the term “I got lucky”. As for the last almost two decades of dual retirement, no marks or bruises. I do however keep my golf clubs away from her. On a more serious note, I hope our mariners get a better shake in the future, it’s damn tough out there now.
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Honestly it’s quite nice to know there’s others out there that are close to my age.
It’s so disheartening going to visit some companies and everyone in there is pushing 70. Like how can I even relate or get anything done when all they do is complain the entire meeting.
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Aw, quit your bitchin. . . . . .
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I guess it’s hell not to get a trophy…
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First off you are correct, old people are grumpy. We are afraid that you younguns will come in and change things, when all we want is a comfy pillow and warm socks.
But in reply to what’s killing the merchant marine, it is simply cost. American crews are expensive, whether union or non- union. When operating a ship crew cost is basically the only real variable. Because all ships need stores and maintenance and fuel. Those costs are the same no matter the vessel flag. It is a sad fact and really no ones fault.
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Hmmmm, how about the management costs? Maersk pays its CEO $5.5 million a year to run a $1.7 billion dollar business. Matson pays its CEO $4.5 million to generate $90 million dollars of income.
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…but then I would think the Greek and Hong Kong shipowners are paid fabulously well, too,