The race to build the first autonomously navigated commercial vessel is on, with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) contracting Kongsberg Maritime to help it further develop the Korean shipbuilder's autonomous ship technology programme.
This comes after SHI’s previous in-house work to design and test its self-navigating system on vessels proved successful.
Maritime Executive reports that the new joint project agreement is focused on developing a design for a next-generation autonomous LNG carrier with an industry standard capacity of 174,000 cubic metres.
SHI will focus on systems integration and design, with Kongsberg as its strategic partner responsible for providing integrated solution designs. Kongsberg has demonstrated vast experience in developing autonomous and remote navigation systems, not least for the all-electric container feeder, Yara Birkeland, which is currently being tested in Norway.
SHI head of technology development, Jang Hae-ki, said the firm was focusing on autonomous ships to reduce costs for shipping lines. “We will focus on technology development to ensure that autonomous ships become the optimal solution for shipping companies to reduce operating costs and operational risks.”
Samsung has tested its in-house autonomous navigation system, SAS, on a brief journey in domestic waters. The tech company fitted a 9,000-tonne university training vessel, Segye-ro, with SAS and sailed through congested waters for about 500 nautical miles last November. Using the autonomous navigation system, SHI said the vessel managed to safely avoid 29 collision risk situations where it had encountered other ships. SAS uses radar, Automatic Identification Systems and camera imagery that monitors 360 degrees around the vessel to avoid collisions.
SHI's ship and marine research centre head, Hyun-joe, said at the time that the successful demonstration was a “meaningful achievement” that had confirmed SAS’s performance and stability of navigation in complex maritime situations.
"As a first mover of technology, SHI will fulfil its role and responsibility to establish safety laws and systems along with technological innovation.”
Ship-building competitor, DSME, tested a small autonomous boat in November, while Hyundai Heavy Industries tested its own automated system aboard an LNG carrier last June, indicating that the race to be first to build a viable fully automated commercial vessel is now well on track.
