Rolls-Royce has announced it has partnered with tech giant Intel to develop AI-powered shipping systems with the goal of fully-autonomous navigation and ship operations. The systems will involve installing ships with dedicated Intel Xeon Scalable processor-based servers and 3D NAND SSDs for data storage, effectively turning ships into "cutting-edge floating data centers with … [Read more...]
MOL Tests AI Watch Keeping System on Ferry in Seto Inland Sea
Japanese shipping group MOL has tested an artificial intelligence (A.I.) system aimed at improving safe watch keeping on board a ferry operating in one of Japan's busiest waterways. The test of the so-called Intelligence Awareness System was conducted in collaboration with Rolls-Royce Marine using the Sunflower car and passenger ferry. The ferry, which is operated by Ferry … [Read more...]
Shipbuilding Contract Signed for Unmanned, Zero-Emission Container Ship ‘Yara Birkeland’
The world’s first autonomous and electric container ship is one step closer to reality with a shipbuilding contract now in signed and sealed for the vessel. Norwegian technology firm Kongsberg, who is partnering with Yara on the project, announced today that Yara has signed a deal worth NOK 250 million ($25.9 million) with VARD to build the vessel with launch scheduled for … [Read more...]
WATCH: Captain Demos Remote-Controlled Tugboat from 700-Miles Away
Netherlands-based KOTUG has demonstrated what it says is the first sailing of a remotely controlled tugboat from a long-distance location. For the demonstration, the tug RT Borkum, located in Rotterdam, was controlled from the floor of the International Tug, Salvage & OSV Convention, which was taking place over 700 miles away in Marseille, France. A KOTUG captain took … [Read more...]
Maersk CEO on Unmanned Ships: ‘Not In My Lifetime’
By Christian Wienberg (Bloomberg) -- The chief executive officer of the world’s biggest shipping company says it’s unlikely container vessels will operate without humans in his lifetime. A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S has already pushed through enough cuts to reduce crew sizes in response to the spread of automation, CEO Soren Skou said in an interview. He says the workforce has now … [Read more...]