“
Automation
technology could
be installed on various
types of vessels.
Mr. Oskar Levander, Vice President
of Innovation from Rolls-Royce, notes that
Possibly the first unmanned test vessels
the company also takes part in many coop-
could be small in size. They might also be
erative R & D projects with specific ship-
operated in limited areas, perhaps close
owners in this field.
to the coastline.
”In the currently ongoing second
”In any case, limited operations will
phase of the AAWA project, automa-
be necessary until international IMO regu-
tion technologies for remote controlled
lations related to unmanned ships can be
and autonomous ships are being consid-
agreed upon,” Levander ponders.
ered,” he says.
”In the long term, unmanned opera-
”Eventually the 3rd phase of AAWA
tion of ships may improve maritime safety.
will include proof-of-concept studies.
Even automated ships could perhaps
However, we are still looking for more
have a limited crew aboard for emergen-
financing before we can take the project
cies, particularly when ships are carrying
to that final stage.”
hazardous cargo such as oil or flamma-
More tangible concepts and perhaps
Mr. Levander expects that automa-
actual hardware for automated ships are
tion technology could be installed on var-
now on the agenda.
SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
ious types of vessels.
”There is no real reason why there
PROOF-OF-CONCEPT STUDIES
could not be remote-controlled or com-
The Rolls-Royce Blue Ocean team, respon-
ble gas.”
Also, approach to ports would probably need to be pilot-guided, even for drone
ships. The pilot would not necessarily have
to physically be on board.
pletely unmanned cargo ships, tugs,
”In the event of a serious technical
sible for research and development of
coastal ships, or car ferries,” he explains.
fault in remote-control systems, unmanned
future maritime technologies, has devel-
”Shipowners have already shown
vessels will need to be programmed to pro-
oped a range of autonomous ship con-
keen interest in remote controlled and
ceed to a specific location if no control
cepts as well as innovative designs for var-
autonomous ship technologies. They want
signal is being received,” suggests Levan-
ious ship types.
to become forerunners.”
der. n
seatec 2/2016 43