Rolls Royce has plans to launch autonomous, remote-guided cargo ships without humans on board. The first prototype is expected to be ready by 2020. Many already consider these vessels to be the new drones of the seas.
Figure 1 – Image of the Rolls Royce prototype
Source: Rolls Royce Disclosure
But in addition to developing the technology that allows the construction of autonomous ships, many changes would still be necessary, in different spheres, to enable the use of these vessels on a large scale, such as: legislation, qualification and training of the people involved, national public policies and international standards, security systems, among others.
Among the advantages for maritime transport pointed out in Rolls Royce's ambitious project is the reduction of crew costs and increased space for cargo. However, one of the points of attention pointed out is that unmanned ships would be more exposed to piracy and, more than that, if virtual security is not adequate, the ships could be controlled by hackers, who would be able to divert the vessel from its route.
Figure 2 – Image of the Rolls Royce prototype
Source: Rolls Royce Disclosure
Some of the main conclusions pointed out by the study developed by Rolls Royce regarding autonomous ships were:
- Ships will probably not be fully autonomous. Future solutions are expected to be hybrid.
- The technology for developing autonomous ships already exists, the challenge will be to make them reliable and cost-effective.
- There is potential to reduce human errors with autonomous ships, however, new risks may arise.
- Legislation changes will depend on political will. These changes would affect rules for the entire international market.
- Autonomous ships have the potential to redefine the entire maritime industry and the role of all players involved, such as shipping companies, ship manufacturers, shipyards, technology and equipment providers.
For those interested in analyzing more deeply the changes, positive points and points of attention of autonomous ships, you can access the White Paper prepared by Rolls Royce: “Remote and Autonomous Ships – The Next Steps”.
Let the future come!
Related links:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/rolls-royceplc/sets/72157647334399764
http://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/yr-2016/pr-2016-03-22-rr-reveals-future-shore-control-centre.aspx
Maria Fernanda Hijjar
https://ilos.com.brManaging Partner of ILOS, she holds a master's degree and a bachelor's degree in Production Engineering from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). With over 10 years of experience in Logistics and Supply Chain, she has worked on various projects, managing and participating in research related to the topic. She has published more than 20 articles in newspapers, magazines, periodicals and conference proceedings, and is co-author of several titles in the COPPEAD Collection published by Atlas and in the ILOS and CEL/COPPEAD Logistics Panorama Collection.
