While partially-autonomous ships with less crew members on board are said to be more likely to be operational in the near future than fully autonomous drone cargo ships, these unmanned vessels could still take to the seas in about another decade, according to the Journal of Commerce.
But the pros and cons are still being debated.
On the pro side is a study published by the European Commission (EC). This “Maritime Unmanned Navigation Through Intelligence in Networks project” has discovered that manned vessels carry more risks than autonomous ships.
This challenges a con argument put forward by the global port and terminal operator, DP World. Its recent study suggests that “significant challenges” would be encountered with the deployment of autonomous cargo ships.
It said: “A related concern is safety, and it is unclear when autonomous or remotely-operated ships will be able to adequately cope with the challenges of weather, obstacles and in-trip repair.”
But the EC was adamant that: “It appears that the unmanned ship does not pose an unsurmountable substantial obstacle in legal terms. Provided there is reasonable certainty that the unmanned ship can operate at least as safely as a manned ship, in all its functionalities, there is no reason to think that the legal framework cannot be adapted.”
Meanwhile, Port Technology has already reported that autonomous ships are being used across a number of sectors, including defence and oil and gas. It added that even more are likely to come into operation “as they are better-integrated into the maritime industry”.
